Samart Payakaroon

Samart Tiptarmi (สามารถ พยัคฆ์อรุณ), (สามารถ ทิพย์ท่าไม้;, born 5 December 1962), is a former Muay Thai fighter, professional boxer and entertainer.

He is considered by many to be the greatest Muay Thai fighter of all time, becoming a multiple time Lumpinee Stadium champion, and a WBC world champion in boxing.

He also went on to have an entertainment career, releasing several successful music albums in Thailand and appearing in several films.

Payakaroon has an older brother, Manus Thipthamai who introduced him to training in Muay Thai.

Payakaroon started training Muay Thai when he was 10 years old.

The First Muay Thai teacher of Payakaroon was Yodtong Senanan (Kru Tui) who taught both brothers.

His first fight name was Lotus.

After he fought about a dozen fights, he came to Bangkok to fight at Lumpinee Stadium in 1978.

He possessed an extremely high ring IQ, with lightning quick reflexes, and excellent ring vision.

He also fought using creative techniques that were effective and unpredictable, even against elite competition in the 80s and 90s (dubbed the Golden Age of Muay Thai).

There were contests where Payakaroon was pushed past the brink of exhaustion, and still gave his opponents the fight of their lives.

Even in the period where he was more concerned about his music and acting career, he defeated some of the greatest fighters of his generation.

In 1982, he turned to boxing where he fought from a southpaw stance.

In 1986, he won a WBC junior featherweight title with a surprise KO over rock-chinned Lupe Pintor in the fifth round and defended against the respected Juan Meza before being stopped by undefeated Australian Jeff Fenech.

Payakaroon was named The Ring's Progress of the Year fighter for 1986.

He now teaches Muay Thai in Thailand.

Muay Thai

Boxing

Between his two stints as boxing champion, Samart signed with a Grammy Entertainment winning label and released three albums.

They are pop music but with his upcountry accent ('"Ner" เหน่อ) as opposed to central Thailand accent.

His first album, Rock Ner Ner. (ร็อคเหน่อๆ) in 1989, contains a famous song On Som (อ่อนซ้อม - not enough practice) talking about him being very proficient in boxing but lacking the same aptitude at getting love from women.

He made a comeback in the 1990s and challenged unsuccessfully for another world title.

His second and third album, Arom Dee (อารมณ์ดี) and Kun Mai Kun Mike (คันไม้คันไมค์) followed in 1990 and 1992 with famous songs Nam Plik Pla Too (น้ำพริกปลาทู) and Kao Ao Eng (เกาเอาเอง) respectively.

After the three albums, he went back to boxing.

In 2000, Samart starred as a minor antagonist named Chartchai Payakaroon in A Fighter's Blues.

He had a role in the 2001 Thai film, The Legend of Suriyothai.

He had a major role in the French drama film, Fureur, and was in the 2004 film, The Bodyguard.

In 2006, he co-starred in the Thai martial arts film, Dynamite Warrior.

He appeared in Muay Thai Chaiya in 2007.

In 2015, his biography has created a documentary film released in Mard Payak (มาดพยัคฆ์; "Tiger Style") by NOW26 in a network of Nation Multimedia Group.

Samart is considered to be the "Muhammad Ali" and "Sugar Ray Robinson" of Muay Thai.

His name holds prestige for followers of the sport to this day.

Many modern day fighters, such as Saekson Janjira, Matee Jedeepitek, Kongnapa Kansaek Sor Ploenjit, Lookchang, and Nokweed all look up to Samart and aspire to be like him.

! style=background:white colspan=9 |Receives the Yodmuaythai trophy.

! style=background:white colspan=9 |Defends 126 lbs Lumpinee Stadium title.

! style=background:white colspan=9 |Wins the vacant 126 lbs Lumpinee Stadium title.

! style=background:white colspan=9 |Wins the 115 lbs Lumpinee Stadium title.

! style=background:white colspan=9 |Wins the vacant 108 lbs Lumpinee Stadium title.

! style=background:white colspan=9 |Loses the 102 lbs Lumpinee Stadium title.

! style=background:white colspan=9 |Defends the 102 lbs Lumpinee Stadium title.