Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn: Legendary Lightweight King of Lumpinee

Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn was a force unlike any other. His knees were so nasty that he cleared out an entire weight class, leaving him without challengers. His reign in the lightweight division at Lumpinee saw him defeat the likes of Raktae Muangsurin, Sakad Petchyindee and Samart Payakaroon.

However, his dominance ultimately brought his career to an early end.

Early Life (1961–1977)

Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn, born Charin Sorndee in 1961 in Ayutthaya, had an unusual entry into the world—his mother went into labour on a riverboat and was rushed to the Hua Ro dock for delivery. He grew up in a modest but stable home, raised in a family of charcoal merchants.

As a child, his father gave him two choices: become a monk or a fighter. Fearing ghosts more than opponents, Dieselnoi chose fighting.

At 12, he joined Sor Banjongsak Gym in Trat, near the Cambodian border. Fighting as Dieselnoi Sor Banjongsak, he won his first fight by KO at 13, earning 50 baht.He then moved to Sor Worakulchai Gym in Chonburi, where his 188 cm frame and high-pressure style saw him go undefeated in over 20 fights across Chonburi, Rayong, and Trat.

At 15, Dieselnoi moved to Bangkok and joined Sor Sirinan Gym (later Chor Thanasukarn), making his debut at Rajadamnern Stadium in the 100 lb division before growing into 126 lbs and 135 lbs.

His dominance in the provincial circuits and early fights in Bangkok caught the attention of the prestigious Sor Thanikul Gym, backed by “The Godfather of Muay Thai” Klaew Thanikul. Joining Sor Thanikul marked the true beginning of his rise to Muay Thai’s elite ranks.

Rise to Lumpinee Champion (1978–1981)

Dieselnoi’s early years in Bangkok were not without challenges. In October 1978, Dieselnoi suffered his first major loss against Vicharnnoi Porntawee, a legend known as “The Eternal Yodmuay.” A former Lumpinee and Rajadamnern champion in multiple divisions, Vicharnnoi had already run out of opponents in his natural weight class and was taking fights against larger men. Despite being a Muay Maat (puncher), he was also a skilled technician who used footwork and pivots to neutralise Dieselnoi’s knees, securing a points victory.

Dieselnoi rebounded quickly, defeating Nongkhai Sor Prapasorn in July 1978 and Narongnoi Kiatbandit in December.

However, in January 1979, he lost again to Vicharnoi, and in March, he suffered a TKO loss to Padejsuk Pitsanurachan due to a doctor stoppage.

Despite these setbacks, Dieselnoi continued his ascent. He defeated Khaosod Sitpraprom in June and Posai Sitboonlert in October, further establishing himself among the lightweight elite.

By 1980, Dieselnoi had emerged as the top lightweight contender. He knocked out Kaopong Sittichuchai with a knee to the head in July but was stopped by punches in their September rematch. However, he avenged the loss in January 1981, winning by decision to claim the Lumpinee Lightweight (135 lbs) title.

In March 1981, Dieselnoi faced Raktae Muangsurin, a dangerous puncher known as “The Infernal Earthquake Fist,” in the main event of the Blue Corner Promotion at Rajadamnern Stadium. The bout generated over 1.3 million baht ($38,000) in gate receipts and saw Dieselnoi neutralise Raktae’s power to secure a decision win.

Now the undisputed lightweight king, Dieselnoi had proven himself as the most dominant knee fighter of his era.

Unstoppable Reign (1982–1985)

By April 1982, Dieselnoi had already become the most feared fighter in Thailand. He competed in the World Free-Style Martial Arts Championships at Rajadamnern, where he knocked out Shinobu Onuki in the first round to claim the WFMA 135 lb World Title.

In December 1982, Dieselnoi and Samart Payakaroon faced off in a highly anticipated showdown, widely promoted as the “Fight of the Century.”

Dieselnoi was the reigning Lumpinee 135 lbs champion, while Samart held the Featherweight (126 lbs) title. Their match was set at 130 lbs as a compromise weight. Although Dieselnoi typically fought at 135 lbs, he cut down to 129.7 lbs—below the agreed limit. This was an intentional move to ensure the fight took place without controversy over his size.

Dieselnoi’s pressure overwhelmed Samart, earning him a points victory. The bout was later recognised as Fight of the Year (1982) by the Sports Writers Association of Thailand and set a record for the highest purses in Muay Thai history, with Dieselnoi receiving 400,000 baht and Samart 350,000 baht.

By 1983, Dieselnoi had no challengers left. With top fighters unwilling to face him at 135 lbs, he was inactive for over a year, a rare situation for a Lumpinee champion.

In June 1984, he returned to face Sakad Petchyindee, defeating him at Rajadamnern Stadium.

The following month, he travelled to the United States where he knocked out John Moncayo, a world champion kickboxer, in a Muay Thai vs. Kickboxing match. In October, he fought Sakad again, this time in Isan, where he repeated his success with another decision win.

His final two fights came in 1985 against “The Professor” Krongsak Prakong-Boranrat, ending in a draw in August and a decision win in November.

Retirement & Legacy (1986–)

By the end of 1985, with no challengers left at 135 lbs, Dieselnoi retired at 24 years old while still at the peak of his abilities. His inactivity led to him being stripped of the Lumpinee 135 lb title that same year despite still holding the championship.

In 1986, Dieselnoi joined Hapalang Gym, where he trained alongside elite fighters such as Chamuekpet Hapalang and Panomtuanlek Hapalang, further cementing the camp’s reputation as one of the most successful of the era.

While other elite fighters throughout history have moved up one or two weight classes to find opponents, Dieselnoi remained at lightweight. His height made it difficult to gain mass, and he believed his knee-fighting style was most effective at 135 lbs, where he had dominated the division. While he retired from competition, his status as the greatest Muay Khao in history was already cemented.

Following his retirement, Dieselnoi briefly became a Buddhist monk before transitioning into coaching.

He spent years in Japan, training fighters alongside his friend Chamuekpet Hapalang, before returning to Thailand to coach at various gyms in Bangkok and Pattaya.

Today, Dieselnoi remains one of the most respected figures in Muay Thai history, frequently appearing in interviews, seminars, and events that honour the sport’s greatest fighters.