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K-1 World Max Champion 2006: Buakaw Por Pramuk

Buakaw Por Pramuk or Sombat Banchamek born on May 8, 1982 in Buriram (north eastern province of Thailand). Since he started his fighting career at the young age of 8, Buakaw has fought over 400 fights, starting in his home province of Buriram and then moving onto Bangkok after he moved to Por. Pramuk gym at the age of 15.

Buakaw has collected several belts to his name since fighting in Bangkok. The Omnoi Stadium featherweight title was his first belt, after that he would go on to take the featherweight champion of Thailand title. Buakaw then proceeded to win another Omnoi Stadium title belt, this time at in lightweight division. In December 2002, Buakaw won the Toyota Marathon 140 lb. tournament at Lumpini Stadium, beating the highly regarded Kobayashi of Japan in the final.

In July of 2004 Buakaw Por Pramuk became the K-1 MAX World champion beating John Wayne Parr, Takayuki Kohiruimaki and previous champion Masato, all on the same night. In 2005 he nearly repeated his run for tournament champion but lost a controversial extra rounds decision to Dutch shoot-boxer, Andy Souwer in the finals. In the 2006 K-1 MAX World Grand Prix, Buakaw again faced Andy Souwer in the finals, but this time defeated Souwer by KO with a flurry of punches, thereby winning his second K-1 MAX Grand Prix title and becoming the first man to win that title twice.