Yokkao Boxing is without a doubt one of the most recognisable global Muay Thai brands, go into any gym around the world and you are sure to find someone kicking the pads in a pair of their shorts and a YouTube search for any of the sport’s superstars such as Buakaw, Saenchai, Yodsanklai, Singdam, Kem and more will take you to bouts from one of Yokkao’s international mega promotions.
Integral to the global rise of the Yokkao brand is their elite stable of fighters representing their official training centre in Bangkok, captained by some of the sport’s legends such as Saenchai and Singdam, the camp is also developing some of the world’s top up and comers such as WBC champions Spencer Brown and Yodchai. The Yokkao flag is also flown globally by some of Muay Thai’s most recognisable names like Liam “Hitman” Harrison.
One of the most famed products of the Yokkao media machine in recent years has been Manachai, originally from Kiatmoo9 in Buriram before taking the Yokkaosaenchaigym name, the formidable low-kick stylist has been a major staple of Yokkao shows all over the world and climbed the global scene to a WBC World welterweight title.
This year, though Manachai has hit a tough stretch, after representing Yokkao on many of their European shows against international opposition, the young fighter took a major step up in opposition by taking on some of the best on the Bangkok circuit in the major stadiums starting with Lumpinee champion Rafi Bohic, who knocked Manachai out cold with an elbow in the fourth round. Not long after, Manachai returned to Lumpinee to take on rising Brazilian star Julio Lobo, where he again met a knockout defeat. In the wake of this loss videos began to circulate demonstrating some friction between Manachai and his Yokkao teammates, with videos of Saenchai voicing his disappointment in Manachai’s performance circulating on social media.
This week, the story took a strange turn when video began to circulate of Manachai again losing via stoppage on a smaller promotion in Cambodia, this raised many questions as this fight was not under the Yokkao banner and received no promotion whatsoever from the brand. This appears to be the straw the broke the camels back as Yokkao announced publicly Manachai is suspended for an unspecified amount of time as he went to Cambodia and competed without his management’s consent and thus breached his contract.
There appears to be much more to the story than meets the eye, as the comments section of the post announcing Manachai’s suspension receiving an outpouring of support from other members of the team, the Thai speakers such as Saenchai and Singdam sticking to emoji’s and Spencer Brown going into slightly more detail defending the company’s decision due Manachai “Disrect[ing] Saenchai and Yokkao”.
What the future holds for Manachai’s future in the sport remains to be seen, but we can be sure he will be away from the public eye for some time.
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