Sagat Petchyindee

Real Name: Wirun Phonphimai (วิรุฬห์ ผลพิมาย)
Born: November 30, 1957
Hometown: Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Height: 165 cm
Stance: Orthodox
Style: Muay Mat
Nickname: "KO King"
Era: Golden Era · mid-1970s–late 1980s

Sagat Petchyindee was one of the leading Muay Mat fighters of the Golden Era, known for his punching power, forward pressure and unusually high knockout rate. He competed across several weight divisions and also had a successful period in professional boxing.

Despite standing around 165 cm, Sagat was able to compete from bantamweight through to light welterweight. His style was based around closing distance, applying pressure and creating opportunities for his punches. His low kicks were also an important part of his approach, helping him get into range and disrupt opponents' movement.

Sagat's punching was the most recognisable part of his game. He was capable of throwing combinations while maintaining his balance and was willing to exchange rather than rely on evasive movement. His documented record of 266 wins from 317 fights includes 151 knockouts, although records from long Thai careers can vary between sources.

His success extended across the major Bangkok stadiums. He won the Rajadamnern bantamweight championship in 1976 and later captured the light welterweight title in 1984. At Lumpinee, he won the lightweight championship in 1985 and again in 1988.

One of the best-known matchups of his career came against Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn. The pair met twice in 1984, with Dieselnoi winning both bouts by decision. The fights are often used as an example of the contrasting approaches of Muay Mat and Muay Khao: Sagat attempting to close distance and land his punches, while Dieselnoi used his height, clinch control and knees to keep the fight in his preferred range.

Sagat also crossed over into professional boxing. He finished with a record of 12 wins and 2 losses from 14 fights, including eight knockouts, and won regional titles including the WBC Asian Boxing Council Lightweight Championship and OPBF Lightweight Championship.

His boxing career included a bout with Wilfredo Gómez for the WBC super bantamweight title. Sagat was stopped in the third round, but the fight remains particularly notable because of the events surrounding it. The contest took place during a period of unrest at the venue, with a stadium collapse resulting in deaths and hundreds of injuries.

After his competitive career, Sagat continued working in combat sports as a trainer in Thailand and internationally. Among those he taught was Firas Zahabi, who later became a prominent MMA coach and co-founder of Tristar Gym.

Sagat's name also became familiar outside combat sports through the Street Fighter character Sagat, which is widely associated with the image of a powerful Muay Thai fighter. The character helped introduce elements of Muay Thai to a much wider international audience.

Sagat's documented Muay Thai record stands at 266 wins, 40 losses and 11 draws from 317 fights, with 151 knockouts. His professional boxing record was 12–2 with eight knockouts.

His career is notable for the consistency of his pressure and punching across multiple weight divisions. At a time when Thai stadium Muay Thai was producing some of the sport's most accomplished technical fighters, Sagat provided a different style at the top level, demonstrating how effective a well-developed Muay Mat game could be against elite opposition.