Early life

Boonlai and his twin brother Boonlong were born into a poor family of 5. At the age of 10, the twins started training Muay Thai at home with their father and later at the small Sitmabon gym in their native Chachoengsao Province. Boonlai would fight around 50 times for the Sitmabon camp. At 14-years-old, the twins were found by a talent scout from Bangkok and were transferred to the Sor.Ploenchit gym with Boonlai was adopting the ring name "Wangyu Sor.Ploenchit." After 2 years of fighting out of the millionaire-owned elite gym, the twins were given to the mafia-owned Sor.Thanikul gym in 1986 to clear a gambling debt. The twins would adopt the ring names Boonlai and Boonlong Sor.Thanikul and made the rest of their careers fighting out of their new gym.^[1][2]

Despite the fact that the Sor.Thanikul gym was owned by notorious mafia godfather Klaew Thanikul, who was responsible for murder, drug trade, human trafficking, etc., Thanikul treated his gym's fighters well and gave them large sums of money.^[3][4] The Sor.Thanikul gym was unusually large and had top-of-the-line training equipment. Like the other fighters in the gym, the twins trained everyday under headman Pueng Sor.Thanikul^[5] in what was considered one of the best Muay Thai gyms in Thailand which produced a total of around 20 champions in the Lumpinee and Rajadamnern stadiums.^[6]

Elite career

Boonlai and Boonlung would go on to be the most famous fighters in the Sor.Thanikul gym's history. He was fighting for the Onesongchai promotion. In 1989, he would defeat an elite fighter who the Thai audiences considered a superstar at the time, Karuhat Sor.Supawan. On the same card, Boonlung defeated the renowned pressure fighter Pongsiri "Rambo" Sor. Ruamrudee. Boonlai would face "The Top Master" Karuhat a total of 4 times with Boonlai defeating him in 3 bouts.^[1] Karuhat would later cite Boonlai as his most difficult opponent, admitting Boonlai's technicality and height as the reasons why.^[7] Oley Kiatoneway cited his first bout against Boonlai as his most painful fight, as Oley was winning on points until Boonlai darted forward with a right cross and knocked down Oley with a series of punches.^[8] Oley suffered from a headache for the rest of the fight and had to be hospitalized afterward.^[9] Boonlai won the fight to successfully defend his 115 lbs Lumpinee title that he won for defeating "The Heartless Knee Striker" Langsuan Panyuthaphum.

One of the most skilled rope-a-dope Muay Femur of the golden era, Boonlai excelled in all attacks, particularly in counter-striking, as can be seen in his fights. At the peak of his career Boonlai received purses as high as 200,000 baht. For context, the usual purse for yodmuay (top fighters) during the golden era was 100,000 baht,^[10] and it was rare for a fighter's purse to reach 200,000 baht or higher.^[11] Boonlai beat an unusually wide variety fighters of his era such as Langsuan Panyuthaphum, Namkabuan Nongkeepahuyuth, Jongsanan Fairtex, Wangchannoi Sor Palangchai, Jaroensap Kiatbanchong, and Somrak Khamsing.^[12] Boonlai stated that his victory against "The Ring Genius" Namkabuan was his favorite memory in his fighting career as he was the most significant fighter of Boonlai's weight class at the time. Boonlai recalls both Somrak and Namkabuan as the most difficult opponents he has ever faced.^[2][13]

Boonlai's final matchup was against Silapathai Jockeygym. After it was observed that Boonlai was not performing to the best of his ability, Silapathai threw a question mark kick at Boonlai's head followed it with a series of punches, causing Boonlai to receive a 10-count. Suspicion grew as Boonlai fell after receiving weak punches, and an investigation concluded that Boonlai faked the KO to intentionally lose the fight. Boonlai was supposedly banned from competition afterward.^[14] Despite this, Boonlai is still a respected fighter decades later, praised for his skills and wide variety of opponents he defeated.^[13][15]

Boonlai is one of the few Muay Thai fighters who can be said to have "fought everyone" as in he was matched up against an unusually wide array of elite opponents during his prime. Other fighters who have "fought everyone" include Vicharnnoi Porntawee, Nungubon Sitlerchai, and Singdam Or.Ukrit.

Later years

After his Muay Thai career, Boonlai became a trainer in various camps in Bangkok as well as opening his own gym called Sor.Korpilap in 2010. His twin brother Boonlong passed away from a car accident.^[2]