Yong-Kang Kim (, born January 3, 1965) is a South Korean former
professional boxer
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
who competed from 1985 to 1995. He is a two-time
flyweight
Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing above 49 kg (108 lb) and up to 51 kg (112 lb).
Professional boxing
The flyweight division was the last of b ...
champion, having held the
WBC and
''The Ring'' titles from 1988 to 1989 and the
WBA title from 1991 to 1992.
Professional career
Kim turned pro in 1985 and captured the
WBC and
''The Ring'' flyweight titles with a decision win over
Sot Chitalada
Sot Chitalada ( th, สด จิตรลดา, ), born as Chaovalit Wongcharoean ( th, เชาวลิต วงศ์เจริญ; ; 5 May 1962, in Chonburi, Thailand) was formerly twice WBC and Lineal Flyweight Champion, having defen ...
in 1988.
He lost his belts in his third defense in a rematch with Chitalada.
In 1991 he won the
WBA flyweight
Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing above 49 kg (108 lb) and up to 51 kg (112 lb).
Professional boxing
The flyweight division was the last of b ...
title with a decision win over
Elvis Álvarez. He defended the belt twice before losing it to
Aquiles Guzman in 1992.
In 1994 Kim returned for his biggest fight, for he
WBA flyweight
Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing above 49 kg (108 lb) and up to 51 kg (112 lb).
Professional boxing
The flyweight division was the last of b ...
title against
Saen Sor Ploenchit
Saen Sor Ploenchit ( th, แสน ส.เพลินจิต, born May 18, 1971) is a Thai former professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 2003. He held the WBA flyweight title from 1994 to 1996.
Early life
Sor Ploenchit was born as Som ...
. The fight was staged a half mile from the
Bridge over the River Kwai
''The Bridge over the River Kwai'' (french: Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï) is a novel by the French novelist Pierre Boulle, published in French in 1952 and English translation by Xan Fielding in 1954. The story is fictional but uses the construct ...
in
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi ( th, กาญจนบุรี, ) is a town municipality (''thesaban mueang'') in the west of Thailand and part of Kanchanaburi Province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327. That number was reduced to 25,651 in 2017. The town ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
(Kleebbua Stadium or
Kanchanaburi Stadium
Kanchanaburi Stadium or Kleeb Bua Stadium ( th, สนามกีฬาจังหวัดกาญจนบุรี หรือ สนามกลีบบัว), is a multi-use stadium in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. It was redevelop ...
). Over 50,000 fans turned out for the free boxing event. Although Ploenchit was dropped in round one, he went on to easily outbox the former world champion Kim.
Professional boxing record
See also
*
List of lineal boxing world champions
*
List of flyweight boxing champions
This is a list of world flyweight boxing champions, as recognized by the four major sanctioning organizations in boxing:
* The World Boxing Association (WBA), established in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA). The WBA often recognize up ...
*
List of WBC world champions
*
List of WBA world champions
References
External links
*
Kim Yong-kang - CBZ Profile
1965 births
Flyweight boxers
Living people
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
World flyweight boxing champions
World boxing champions
South Korean male boxers
Sportspeople from South Jeolla Province
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