The Unforgiving Kicks Part IX

 

 

 

 

Reputable Kickers of late 50’s

Author found 78 year-old Yodying Luksurin in Roi-it province, northeastern Thailand, 2005. He was the most famous exponent of the backspin and rear spurn-kick in history. Nickname: Croc Backlash.

 

The 50’s was the stage of fighters of most variegated characters. On kickers of reputation, other than those already portrayed, were “Headhunter” Surasak Barbos (RDN 135 champion), “Leg Kicker” Chusak Rajwat ( RDN 126 champion), “Croc Backlash” Yodying Luksurin (top welter contender with a back-kick like a mule ), “Face Spurner” Pornchai S. Tayan (whose uses his spurning feet like hands with musical rhythm), “Pretty Boy” Karawek S. Petchnoi (wonderful footwork) and “Fire-footed Deity” Charnchai Luksurin ( death-defying Romeo who died for love)…

 

 

 

Tragedy of the Fire-Footed Deity

Looks of Valentine - Charnchai Luksurin had feet that could kill. Best fighter of Thailand, 1955.

 

 

For one, Charnchai Luksurin, the handsome cavalryman, born in Uttaradit, with the looks of valentine and a pair of deadly legs, was the subject of a fine novel by the eminent Deja Prakaranunta, Chief Editor of the Ring Magazine (Thai) in 1970.

 

 

His mode of kicking, rather different from the fast and fury manner with “Phantom Tiger” Sakchai, was slamming hard at the zone between the pelvis and knee, i.e. concentrated punishment at the joints and the Iliotibial tract, to induce temporary paralysis or immobility, before a stealthy high kick would attain the kayo.

Sukkasem Kedsongkram, Students Idol, 1957. He was the first to be known for the Thai-style Double Flying Kick.

 

 

In this way, Charnchai finished many of his fights the short way, and earned the recognition of the best fighter of 1955 (on a 9-1-1 record), victims including Sukkasem Kedsongkram (TKO3), rising star renowned for his peculiar brand of flying kicks, stylized, “Dhet Bon”( literally double kick, but the the word double, in Thai phonetics, is pronounced doubon, with the second syllable localized, hence the shortened term “bon”), and in fact, his left foot could fly to connect, up to five times, before it was retracted.

Samart Sorndaeng, RDN 147-pound champion and later Oriental & world boxincontender, nicknamed Shane (Hollywood Wild West movie). He fought Charnchai twice.

 

 

Next, Thongchai Nahapon, a 160-pound veteran, was knocked unconscious by a high kick in the very first round. Then, he kayoed in Korat, crafty Srisawat Thiamprasit, the dangerous elbow artist, thus avenging the only two defeats of his career by the latter. Came September, “Shane” (Cowboy of the Wild West), Samart Sorndaeng, sensational two-fisted battler and RDN reigning champion, was stopped in three. Last, Linglom Sorasingh, Apeman of the South, highly rated middleweight, lasted till the fourth in Songkhla.

 

Charnchai fighting Harnarong for the army welterweight title.

 

 

 

Then, he took the army welterweight title (1956), but failed in his bid to for the RDN 147-pound title in a rematch against Samart, losing by a TKO in four. From there on, it was up and down, but his legend as a premier kicker remained.

 

MUAY magazine reporting the death of the fabulous kicker, 1960

 

 

 

His ring endeavors continued until 11 September, 1960, when his adorable attraction to ladies proved fatal. In a tour to procure protective charms from a temple, in his hometown Phitsanulok, the kicker fell in a hot romance with a local school teacher. Blinded by passion and unaware of looming risks, the boxer was shot and killed by a gang tasked by a rival suitor. That ended the life of the second most flamboyant kicker since the beginning of the RDN arena.