Yodsanklai Fairtex: The Most Feared Kicker Alive

When putting together a list of the hardest punchers on the planet, there's always going to be a lot of debate. However, when talking about the hardest kicker, somebody high on everybody's list—assuming they can spell his name—is Thailand's Yodsanklai Fairtex.

"Yod's kicks are arguably the hardest strike of any athlete in any combat sport," says MMA and kickboxing commentator Michael Schiavello. "Think of Mike Tyson's hook, Larry Holmes' jab, Ernie Shavers' right hand, Andy Hug's axe kick, Cro Cop's left head kick… Well, you need to add Yodsanklai's roundhouse kick to the list, too."

And not many people know this better than 10-time world kickboxing champion John Wayne Parr, who has faced Yodsanklai on three separate occasions.

"Most fighters have weapons you fear," says Parr. "Usually, it's a few different things or a certain combo, but with Yodsanklai it's his left body kick. Everyone knows about it, but nobody has an answer for it. It's laser-guided and feels like a baseball bat. It's pure blunt-force trauma and yet so accurate. He can hit a 2-3cm radius time after time after time.

"I had to get my forearm X-rayed after a fight with Yodsanklai, just to make sure it wasn't broken. The power of that kick sends a massive shock through you. There's really nothing like it—and I've fought Buakaw, whose kicks are faster, though not as hard!"

Believe it or not, Yod's kicks weren't always his best asset. "I used to be more of a clinching of fighter, but when I moved to Fairtex about 12 years ago, my trainer and manager decided to improve and change my skills," says the Thai superstar, who was also encouraged early on to switch from orthodox to southpaw.

Pretty soon Yodsanklai's kicks became something fans talked about and opponents feared… which was exactly what the fighter wanted. "I trained my kicks every single day to become my strongpoint," he explains.

Yod went on to win world titles in three separate weight classes, acquiring the nickname in his homeland of 'The Boxing Computer' due to how perfectly he fought. Over the years, he's racked up more than 250 bouts and taken to brutalising foes with his elbows and fists as much as his legs. But it's his left round kick that's still spoken of in awe—and avidly watched.

Visitors to the Fairtex Gym in Pattaya are treated to a show whenever Yodsanklai is training, and he often finishes a session with a crowd-attracting kicking drill. The fighter says he has no idea how many kicks he throws in a session, noting, "I focus on power rather than speed. But with all of the strength training I do, I'm sure that also helps my speed."

It does. Still, it's the brutal force of his signature strike that leaves opponents broken and crowds cheering.

Asked whether he'd consider subjecting himself to Yod's legendary left leg again, Parr says, "Yeah, for sure… but if I'm going to go to hospital, I want to be paid what I think I'm worth. The third time we fought, I made enough money to put a deposit on a house. For a rematch, it'd have to be enough for a deposit on a Ferrari!"

Sounds like a fair price for taking on one of the hardest kickers on the planet