By Kittipong Thongsombat

The year 2015 may have brought some dejection in the amateur arena, but the Thais did excel in the professional boxing ring.

Finishing the year with three world champions across three weight divisions belonging to three separate world boxing governing institutions is no mean feat.

And the way things are, there is a realistic hope that Thailand may add more champions to that list.

The reigning Thai world title-holders are Wanheng Menayothin (WBC minimumweight) of the Petchyindee boxing camp, Pungluang Sor Singyu (WBO bantamweight) of OneSongchai Gym and Amnat Ruenroeng (IBF flyweight) of Kiat Kreerin Promotions.

Of the trio, Pungluang is the latest Thai world champion, having claimed the vacant title last year by beating Ryo Akaho of Japan with a second-round knockout in Ratchaburi.

Both Wanheng and Amnat, for their part, made three successful title defences each in 2015.

Former inmate Amnat, who won the title in January 2014, had his third defence in March when he broke the Chinese hearts by beating their ace boxer Zou Shiming, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, and victories over John Casimero of the Philippines and Lee Myung-Ho of South Korea followed.

His success was recognised by the Sports Authority of Thailand, who named him as the best professional athlete of 2015.

The 36-year-old Amnat is looking for a unification fight before retiring. His target is WBA flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka of Japan.

Wanheng, who claimed the title after toppling Oswaldo Novoa of Mexico in November 2014, recorded a points decision over Jeffrey Galero of the Philippines in his first defence in February, stopped Jerry Tomogdan, another Filipino, in the ninth round and knocked out Young Gil-Bae of South Korea in the same canto in November.

Unbeaten Wanheng is next scheduled to have a mandatory fight, for which the date and venue have yet to be announced.

Piyarat Wachirarattanawong, from Petchyindee Boxing Promotions, was satisfied with the performances of boxers he has been sponsoring in the past year.

Looking to the year ahead, Piyarat is confident his boxers can claim more titles, mainly pinning hopes on Knockout CP Freshmart, the interim WBA minimumweight title-holder and also top challenger in the 105-pound division.

Piyarat said he is waiting for a confirmation from the WBA to see if current WBA champion Hekkei Budler of South Africa has moved up to light-flyweight.

“If our information about Budler is correct, as an interim champion Knockout will be declared the title-holder and will become the seventh champion from our camp,” he said.

“We have already planned his first defence for February.

“Yodmongkol [Vor Saengthep], third in the WBA flyweight division, and Noknoi Sitthiprasert [second in the WBC flyweight division] can also hope for title shots next year.”

Also next year, Nakhon Luang Promotions is set to see three of its boxers having title cracks.

Top challenger Suriyan Sor Rungvisai will be facing second-ranked challenger Anselmo Moreno of Panama for the WBC bantamweight title after Shinsuke Yamanaka of Japan decided to vacate the belt.

Former WBC super-flyweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai will have a title shot next year as mandatory challenger for Mexico’s Carlos Cuadras, who last month outpointed Japanese Koki Eto.

It will be a rematch for the Thai, who lost the belt to Cuadras back in 2014.

In the WBC flyweight division, top-ranked Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai is also the mandatory challenger for champion Roman Gonzalez.

There is a chance that Gonzalez might give up his belt and if that happens, Nawaphon would have to fight second seed and compatriot Noknoi for the title.

Nakhon Luang Promotions owner Surachart Pisitwutthinan said he was working hard to bring both Srisaket and Suriya’s fights to an arena in Thailand.

At Galaxy Promotions, run by Niwat Laosuwanwat, Stamp Kiatniwat is now the interim WBA flyweight champion and stands a good chance of challenging for the title.

The upward journey may not be so easy for Teerachai Kratingdaenggym, ranked sixth in the WBA welterweight division, but Niwat is trying to arrange a fight for him in the US.

The first world title fight of 2016 will pit WBO bantamweight title-holder Pungluang against Jetro Pabustan of the Philippines in Nakhon Ratchasima on Feb 12.