Kaoklai Kaennorsing “Giant Killer” | Biography & Fights
He went from a small-town kid in northeastern Thailand to one of Muay Thai’s most fearless fighters.
Nicknamed “The Giant Killer,” Kaoklai Kaennorsing built his reputation by taking on—and defeating— giant opponents.
| Name: | Kaoklai Kaennorsing |
| Birth Name: | Athit DamKam |
| Thai Name: | ก้าวไกล แก่นนรสิงห์ |
| Date of Birth: | September 13, 1983 |
| Place of Birth: | Khon Kaen, Thailand |
| Nicknames: | Matrix Defense, Giant Killer |
| Height: | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Weight: | 79 kg (174 lb; 12.4 st) |
| Weight Class: | Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Cruiserweight |
| Team: | Kaoklai Studio, Evolve MMA, Jocky Gym, Ihara Dōjō |
| Years active: | 2001–2012 |
Origin Story
Born in Khon Kaen, Thailand, Kaoklai Kaennorsing was often bullied for his gentle nature growing up. Determined to defend himself, he begged his parents to let him train at Kaennorsing Camp, located within his father’s army barracks. Though hesitant at first, they eventually agreed.
Training twice daily, before and after school, he committed himself fully to the demanding routine. He lost his first fight, but the experience only pushed him to improve. By his teenage years, he had built a reputation as a rising talent in northeastern Thailand, developing his skills among some of Thailand’s up-and-coming fighters.
At Kaennorsing, Kaoklai trained under Phra Kiat Kaennorsing, a respected trainer known for developing young fighters. The camp had a legacy of producing champions, with names like Robert Kaennorsing, Wanwiset Kaennorsing, and Rolex Kaennorsing moving on to Jocky Gym in Bangkok during the 1980s and 90s. Kaoklai followed the same path, relocating to Jocky Gym, where he trained among some of Thailand’s top fighters such as Lerdsila Chumpairtour, Chaowarit Jocky Gym and Saenchai.
Early Rajadamnern Run
At 19, Kaoklai won the Rajadamnern Stadium welterweight title (147 lbs / ~67 kg) by defeating Charnvit Kiat Tor Bor Ubon but later lost the belt in a rematch. He then moved up in weight and claimed the Rajadamnern Stadium super welterweight title (154 lbs / ~70 kg) with a decisive win over Chalermsak Chuwatthana in December 2002.
Despite his success in Muay Thai, Kaoklai had limited opportunities in Thailand. His weight divisions, while competitive, didn’t attract the same attention or financial rewards as the lighter or heavier classes. Moving to K-1’s openweight division gave him a chance to fight on a bigger stage—and for significantly better pay. With no dedicated weight class for fighters his size, Kaoklai had little choice but to take on much larger opponents, embracing the challenge and the financial incentives that came with it.
The “Giant Killer” Emerges
Kaoklai’s career gained international recognition in 2004 when he entered the K-1 World Grand Prix in Seoul. Competing in the openweight division, he faced opponents who outweighed him by more than 30 kg (≈ 65 lbs). Despite the size disadvantage, he used his matrix-like evasions and gutsy jumping attacks to level the playing field.
In the July quarterfinal, Kaoklai knocked out Denis Kang with a right cross in the first round. Kang initially stayed on his feet and even threw Kaoklai to the ground in the clinch but collapsed moments later.
He outpointed Tsuyoshi Nakasako in the semifinals and narrowly defeated Shingo Koyasu in a hard-fought final to win the Seoul Grand Prix, securing his place in the K-1 World Grand Prix Finals in September.
In the Final Elimination, he faced Belarusian heavyweight Alexey Ignashov, a fighter with a 36 kg (≈ 80 lbs) weight advantage. Kaoklai’s quick footwork and counter-striking frustrated Ignashov, earning Kaoklai a split-decision victory in an overtime round.
Facing the 127 kg (≈ 280 lbs) powerhouse Mighty Mo in the quarterfinals, Kaoklai landed a stunning jumping high kick, sending the crowd into raptures. Mo managed to get back to his feet but was stumbling on rubber legs when the referee waved it off.
Though he was narrowly defeated by Musashi in the semifinals, his run in the tournament solidified his status as “The Giant Killer.”
Kaoklai returned in 2005, once again giving up tens of kilos in each bout. At the K-1 World Grand Prix in Seoul, he defeated Zhang Qingjun in the quarterfinals and outpointed Hiraku Hori in the semifinals, earning a spot in the final against the towering 7’2″ (218 cm) Choi Hong-man.
Despite giving up nearly 80 kg (≈ 180 lbs), Kaoklai outscored Choi throughout the fight, landing several clean right hands and even a clean head kick. In a bizarre turn, Kaoklai received a yellow card from the referee, with the commentators speculating it might have been for time-wasting. However, they noted that Kaoklai was the only fighter pressing the action, as Choi plodded forward but rarely threw strikes and failed to land anything cleanly. Despite this, the decision went in favour of the Korean giant.
Final Round
Following his loss to Choi Hong-man in 2005, Kaoklai’s career saw a decline as he faced competed across multiple weight classes and promotions, accumulating several losses against top-level competition including Ray Sefo, Yoshihiro Sato, and Lamsongkram Chuwattana. Despite his technical skills, the size and power disadvantages became more apparent, leading to knockout defeats against heavy hitters like Tyrone Spong and Nathan Corbett.
However, there were moments of resurgence. In 2008, Kaoklai captured the IKKC Muaythai World Cruiserweight title with a split-decision victory over Clifton Brown. The following year, he challenged Brown again, this time for the WMC World Super Light Heavyweight title, but fell short via unanimous decision.
From 2010 to 2012, Kaoklai continued competing internationally, taking fights in China, Europe, and North America, but struggled to find consistent form. During this period, he suffered notable defeats against top-tier opponents, including a knockout loss to Joe Schilling in 2011 and decision losses to Artem Levin and Simon Marcus. His final fight came in 2012, a decision loss to Fang Bian in China, marking the end of his career.
Mentor’s Path
After retiring in 2012, Kaoklai transitioned into coaching. He now works as a Muay Thai coach at Evolve MMA in Singapore and travels internationally to conduct seminars, sharing the skills and knowledge that defined his career.
