Amnat Ruenroeng
Amnat Ruenroeng is a Thai professional boxer who held the IBF flyweight title from 2014 to 2016.
Early life
Ruenroeng was born without knowing who his parents were, when he was first born he didn't even have a birth certificate because the officer refused to register him due to not being sure he was Thai. He grew up in his grandmother's care in poverty and had to fight at the age of seven, starting in Muay Thai named "Petch Por Burapha" and "Petch Tor Bang Saen" and won Lumpinee Stadium champion Flyweight division.Amateur career
Ruenroeng began boxing while serving a fifteen year prison sentence for robbery. In 2007, he won a Thai national title in the Light Flyweight division, and was released from prison for good behaviour the following day having served one year. He won a bronze medal as a junior flyweight at the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Chicago. He had lost in the semi-final to Philippines southpaw Harry Tanamor.Ruenroeng took the gold medal at the King’s Cup in Bangkok in 2008 after defeating Kazuto Ioka in the semifinal. He subsequently qualified to represent Thailand at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Professional career
Ruenroeng made his professional debut in 2012. On 22 January 2014, he won the vacant IBF Flyweight title by defeating Rocky Fuentes. In his first defense, he traveled to Japan and earned a split decision over undefeated two-division champion Kazuto Ioka, who was making his flyweight debut. In his following fight, he defeated Puerto Rican challenger McWilliams Arroyo by split decision. On March 7, 2015, he earned a unanimous decision over undefeated two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming.Ruenrong vs Casimero
IBF flyweight titleholder Amnat Ruenroeng retained his belt with a 12-round decision win over Filipino boxer Johnriel Casimero at the Hua Mark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday, June 27.
Ruenroeng was credited with two knockdowns against Casimero, beginning with a counter right in Round 2 that caught the 25-year-old from Ormoc City lunging in. A second knockdown was called in Round 7 when Casimero was pushed into the ropes by Ruenroeng following a glancing right hand.
Casimero appeared to knock Ruenroeng down in Round 3 when a counter left hook caused his glove to touch the canvas, but referee Larry Doggett ruled it a slip.
The fight was marred by excessive clinching and over a dozen throwdowns by Ruenroeng. Doggett issued five warnings before finally taking a point from Ruenroeng in Round 11.
“Amnat made the strategy how to win easy. It was not a dirty fight,” said Ruenroeng’s trainer, Aljoe Jaro, who claims Casimero had hit Ruenroeng in the leg during the fight.
“About the throwing down, that’s not an issue. Casimero was also playing dirty. Amnat was doing his job as a boxer how to win.”
The roughhouse tactics detracted from an otherwise crafty, resourceful performance from the Thai incumbent champion, whose jab disrupted the rhythm of Casimero, who held the IBF junior flyweight title for two years before being stripped last year for failing to make weight for his fight with Mauricio Fuentes.
Casimero was the aggressor for the final 3 rounds, desperately trying to score a knockout to erase the deficit he found himself in.
Ruenroeng, 35, has now defended his belt four times successfully since winning it in January 2014 with a victory over Filipino contender Rocky Fuentes.
Ruenrong vs Casimero II
On May 25, 2016, in Diamond Court of the National Tennis Center, Beijing China, Ruenroeng fought Casimero again in a rematch for the IBF flyweight title and loss via knockout with a vicious body shot in the 4th round, ending Ruenroeng's undefeated streak.
After world champion
After losing the world championship, he did not retire. Instead, he continued to fight, returning to his roots as an amateur. Going up to the Lightweight division, he participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He won his opening bout before losing in the round of 16 against Sofiane Oumiha, a younger fighter representing France. Oumiha eventually earned the silver medal, and went on to win gold at the world championships in 2017.After the Olympics, Ruenroeng returned to Muay Thai. On April 21, 2018, he competed again as a professional. He was knocked out in 5th round by a younger fighter, his fellow-countryman Nawaphon Por Chokchai.
Professional boxing record
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
24 | Loss | 20–4 | Srisaket Sor Rungvisai | UD | 10 | 1 Aug 2020 | Workpoint Studio, Pathum Thani, Thailand | |
23 | Win | 20–3 | Brian Lobetania | UD | 6 | 23 Mar 2019 | Workpoint Studio, Pathum Thani, Thailand | |
22 | Win | 19–3 | Petchbarngborn Kokietgym | UD | 6 | 8 Feb 2019 | Yingcharoen Market, Bangkok, Thailand | |
21 | Loss | 18–3 | Nawaphon Kaikanha | TKO | 5 | 21 Apr 2018 | Workpoint Studio, Pathum Thani, Thailand | For WBC–ABCO Continental super-flyweight title |
20 | Loss | 18–2 | Wenfeng Ge | UD | 12 | 21 Nov 2017 | Sports Center, Suzhou, China | For vacant WBO Oriental super-flyweight title |
19 | Win | 18–1 | Petchthongchai Singmanassak | TKO | 3 | 26 Aug 2017 | Khao Bang Krak Gym, Uthai Thani, Thailand | |
18 | Loss | 17–1 | Johnriel Casimero | 4, 2:10 | 25 May 2016 | Diamond Court, Beijing, China | Lost IBF flyweight title | |
17 | Win | 17–0 | Myung Ho Lee | UD | 12 | 7 Dec 2015 | Centential Club, Hua Hin, Thailand | Retained IBF flyweight title |
16 | Win | 16–0 | Johnriel Casimero | UD | 12 | 27 Jun 2015 | Indoor Stadium Huamark, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained IBF flyweight title |
15 | Win | 15–0 | Zou Shiming | UD | 12 | 8 Mar 2015 | The Venetian Macao, Macau, SAR | Retained IBF flyweight title |
14 | Win | 14–0 | McWilliams Arroyo | SD | 12 | 10 Sep 2014 | Liptapanlop Hall, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand | Retained IBF flyweight title |
13 | Win | 13–0 | Kazuto Ioka | 12 | 7 May 2014 | Bodymaker Colosseum, Osaka, Japan | Retained IBF flyweight title | |
12 | Win | 12–0 | Rocky Fuentes | UD | 12 | 22 Jan 2014 | Liptapanlop Hall, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand | Won vacant IBF flyweight title |
11 | Win | 11–0 | Takuro Habu | TKO | 4, 1:37 | 16 Aug 2013 | Viphavade, Surat Thani, Thailand | Retained IBF Asia flyweight title |
10 | Win | 10–0 | Ricky Manufoe | TKO | 4 | 21 Jun 2013 | University, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained IBF Asia flyweight title |
9 | Win | 9–0 | Julius Alcos | UD | 12 | 19 Apr 2013 | Trairatanakon Temple School, Chaiya, Thailand | Won vacant IBF Pan Pacific flyweight title |
8 | Win | 8–0 | Michael Rodriguez | UD | 12 | 15 Feb 2013 | Wat Promthamnimit, Chom Bueng, Thailand | Won vacant IBF Asia flyweight title |
7 | Win | 7–0 | Geboi Mansalayao | TKO | 7 | 26 Dec 2012 | Rajapark Institute, Bangkok, Thailand | |
6 | Win | 6–0 | Danilo Pena | 6 | 16 Nov 2012 | Pang Mu School, Maehongson, Thailand | ||
5 | Win | 5–0 | Wilber Andogan | 6 | 19 Oct 2012 | Ladprao, Bangkok, Thailand | ||
4 | Win | 4–0 | Safwan Lombok | TKO | 5 | 17 Aug 2012 | City Sports Centre, Trat, Thailand | |
3 | Win | 3–0 | Lowie Bantigue | PTS | 6 | 20 Jul 2012 | Baan Khao Hom School, Chantaburi, Thailand | |
2 | Win | 2–0 | Jemmy Gobel | 6 | 27 Jun 2012 | Taweethapisek School, Bangkok, Thailand | ||
1 | Win | 1–0 | Rino Ukru | 4, 0:30 | 18 May 2012 | City Hall Ground, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand |