Kaensak Sor.Ploenjit

Pongsak Cheawchan (; born April 9, 1970), known professionally as Kaensak Sor.Ploenjit , is a Thai former professional Muay Thai fighter and boxer. He is a former Lumpinee Stadium and Rajadamnern Stadium champion at Flyweight, as well as the 1989 and 1990 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year, who was famous in the 1980s and 1990s. Nicknamed the "Two-Time Fighter of the Year", he is often regarded as one of the greatest and most talented fighters in the history of Muay Thai.

Kaensak's father continued to force him to fight around 50 times out of the Taputhai gym until he was considered a rising star. He was initially a Muay Khao fighter (knee fighter) at this time. In 1981, his father wanted him to join a better Muay Thai gym, hence Kaensak was sent to the prestigious Sor.Ploenjit gym which was owned by Thai millionaire Sathien Sathiansut. At 15-years-old, Kaensak would begin training under the famous Gimyu Lerkchai, the trainer of the various Sor.Ploenjit fighters as well as Lakhin Wassandasit. Kaensak would fight dozens of times in various venues until he won the littleweight championship (80 lbs/36.3 kg) at the Karunniwet Stadium in Chonburi province.

Owing to his fluency with knee fighting that he honed before transferring to the Sor.Ploenjit gym, Kaensak did not lose to Muay Khao fighters by using a wide variety of both inside and outside techniques to prevent clinches and to cancel knee strikes. Most notably, Kaensak's trilogy against "The Vampire's Knees" Lamnamoon Sor.Sumalee wherein Kaensak shut down and controlled the tall knee fighter were considered top-of-the-line matchups. In addition, Kaensak scored a draw and a victory against "The Heartless Knee Striker" Langsuan Panyuthaphum.

Elite career in Bangkok

In 1989 Kaensak would enter the peak of his career by earning Lumpinee and Rajadamnern stadium titles simultaneously within the same weight class, becoming one of the handful of fighters who were able to do so. He ended the year with a 9-0-1 record for which he was given the most prestigious and respected title in Muay Thai: The Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year. Kaensak's peak continued into 1990 and he won the Fighter of the Year award for a second time, becoming the first nak muay (Muay Thai fighter) in history to win it for 2 consecutive years. In 1991, Kaensak would receive a purse of , making him the highest paid athlete of the golden era of Muay Thai. In comparison, the usual purse of elite fighters is ฿100,000 and it was rare for one to earn ฿200,000 or higher.

As for his final fight of 1990, he was matched up against "The Sadist" Taweesaklek Ploysakda in Rajadamnern Stadium. Both fighters presented their usual styles, using powerful strikes of wide variety as Taweesaklek was a Muay Bouk (pressure fighter) and Kaensak was an explosive Muay Femur fighter. Kaensak was knocked down by a right cross in the 2nd round, prompting him to become aggressive and to use powerful low kicks; at the time Kaensak would also be known to be one of the strongest low-kickers in the Thai circuit. In the 3rd round, both fighters would use powerful low kicks against each other while Kaensak was pressing forward with punches. Taweesaklek was worn down by the low kicks and got knocked down by Kaensak's punches in the 4th. Kaensak would win the fight by a large margin. This fight was Kaensak's favorite memory from his fighting career;

To determine who was to win the 1992 Fighter of the Year award, Jaroensap Kiatbanchong was matched up as the underdog against Kaensak in December 1992 with the Lumpinee junior bantamweight championship (118 lbs/53.5 kg) at stake. Jaroensap won the fight on points and earned both the championship title and the award.

Kaensak and "The Earth-Shattering Left Kick" Singdam Or.Ukrit were matched up in 1993, the most significant year of Singdam's career. In the 2nd round, Kaensak knocked down Singdam with a right hook, and less than 20 seconds later Singdam knocked down Kaensak with a left hook and landed a right hook as Kaensak fell. Kaensak would fight hard for the rest of the fight, but Singdam used various techniques to outscore or nullify Kaensak's counter-kicking style. Singdam ultimately won on points and achieved one of two biggest wins of his career. Both fighters would be awarded the 1993 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fight of the Year.

Afterward, Kaensak would go on to continue fighting elite competition such as "The Master of Masters" Karuhat Sor.Supawan, Lamnamoon Sor.Sumalee, and "Samart 2" Chatchai Paiseetong. Kaensak was praised for his excellent defensive performance against Lamnamoon's clinches and knees and was also able to defeat the highly skilled Chatchai while he was still in his prime. Kaensak also secured victories against Nungubon Sitlerchai and Hansuk Prasanthinpanomrung.

From 1994 and onwards, Kaensak would begin to lose more often than usual as he went from fighting between 115 - 118 lbs/52.2 - 53.5 kg to fighting as high as 125 lbs/55.8 kg. Despite this, he would almost always be wearing red shorts which in the Thai circuit meant that he was the bettor's favorite.

Kaensak's nickname Yod Muaythai Song Por.Sor. (ยอดมวยไทย 2 พ.ศ.)

Kaensak cited Poot Lorlek, Vicharnnoi Porntawee, Dieselnoi Chor.Thanasukarn, Samart Payakaroon, and Chamuekpet Hapalang as his top 5 greatest Muay Thai fighters. Rajadamnern Stadium 1989 Rajadamnern Stadium Flyweight (112 lbs) Champion World Council of Kickboxing 2006 WCK World Super Lightweight (140 lbs) Champion International Karate Kickboxing Council 2007 IKKC World Super Lightweight (140 lbs) Champion Awards 1989 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year 1990 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year 1993 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fight of the Year (vs Singdam Or.Ukrit on July 13)

Muay Thai record

Professional boxing record