While Thailand is the spiritual and historical home of Muay Thai, it has truly developed into a global sport that is taught and fought the world over. Many foreign-born fighters, known as Muay Farang, have risen to become champions of the sport and in this article, we’ve scoured the globe, looked far and wide, and across the decades to bring together a list of the 20 best Muay Farang to have ever fought in the art of eight limbs. Without further ado, here is our list (in no particular order) of the top 20 foreign-born Muay Thai fighters.
1) Liam Harrison
The UK-born superstar from Bad Company Gym in Leeds is famous in the Muay Thai world for his many entertaining fights in ONE Championship including the ridiculous one-round war he had against the “Elbow Zombie”, Muangthai back in 2019.
Harrison is no stranger to fighting high-level Thais. He’s defeated the dreaded Anuwat and faced the famous Saenchai three times in his career. Over this time Harrison has won 91 times in his 118-fight career. He’s also won 7 World Titles in the process, making him one of the most successful Muay Farangs in the history of the sport.
2) Dany Bill
The Cameroonian-born Muay Farang, Dany Bill made waves in Thailand back in the Golden Era of Muay Thai, back when foreigners were a rare oddity in the Bangkok Stadiums. Fighting out of the esteemed Jocky Gym in Bangkok, Bill captured his first world title in a fight against Den Muang Surin during the King’s Birthday celebration in 1993. It was a title he held for 7 years, facing the likes of Coban, Nokweed Devy, and Orono before losing the title to Sakmongkol Sithchukchok in 1999.
Bill is revered for his beautiful Muay Thai technique, especially for his exceptional balance and crafty sweeps. His skill and IQ led him to an unbelievable 115 wins from 126 fights, many of which were against the best Thai stars of his era.
3) Daniel Rodriguez
Swiss-born, Daniel Rodriguez is a bona fide prodigy, having fought 43 times, mostly within Thai stadiums, and capturing the 154lb Rajadamnern Title before he was handed his first defeat.
Originally fighting out of Dado Gym in Zurich, Rodriguez captured the prestigious 154lb WBC European title before traveling to Thailand fighting first out of Sitchefboontham in Bangkok before relocating to SinbiMuayThai in Phuket. During his undefeated run at Rajadamnern, Rodriguez faced and defeated Thai stars including the likes of Rungrat, Thananchai, Santanfah, and Yodwicha (twice), leading to him being ranked #1 in the WBC world rankings at his weight.
Aged only 25, Rodriguez is still young and crafting his legacy in the sport. He is currently back in Switzerland, once again training out of Dado Gym while fans eagerly await his return to the ring.
4) John Wayne Parr
“The Gunslinger” is Australian Muay Thai royalty, and it is very rare that the Muay Thai down-under is discussed without his epic trilogy against Yodsanklai Fairtex getting a mention. Throughout his illustrious career, Parr won 99 of his 135 fights professional fights and captured 10 World Titles.
Parr’s career started in Queensland where a successful run of fights led to him winning several regional titles before he moved to Thailand in 1996. Training under “The Deadly Kisser” Sangtiennoi in Bangkok, Parr lived the authentic fighter’s lifestyle, sleeping in a boxing ring beside the other fighters and learning to speak the language fluently. During his time in Thailand, Parr won the Kings Cup Tournament and captured the esteemed Best Farang Fighter of the Year award in 1997. On his return to Australia, he made a lucrative career fighting on the world’s biggest promotions including K1-Max, Bellator, and ONE Championship.
5) Jonathan Haggerty
The UK-born superstar, Jonathan “The General” Haggerty of the esteemed Knowlesy Academy, started his career in the UK where he captured the ISKA Super Featherweight World Title before being signed to ONE Championship.
After defeating the future champ, Joseph Lasiri in his opening bout on the promotion Haggerty captured the ONE Flyweight World Title following a five-round spectacle against reigning Muay Thai World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao. His reign was short-lived, after losing the belt to Rodtang, and failing to recapture it in an immediate rematch, Haggerty moved up to Bantamweight and has since been on a seven-fight unbeaten run, capturing another ISKA World Title and becoming a two-sport ONE World Champion, ending Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O’s 10 fight win streak in the process.
6) Damien Alamos
Many Muay Thai purists rate Frenchman, Damien Alamos as one of, if not the best, Muay Farang of all time in terms of skill. Alamos moved to Thailand early in his career, where he spent the majority of his time fighting out of Singpatong Gym.
Alamos is a former WPMF and WMC World Champion and has fought the likes of Capitan Petchyindee, Thongchai Sitsongpeenong, Sittichai Sitsongpeenong, and Saenchai. He also held the 140lb Lumpinee Stadium Title in 2012 and made history as the first foreigner to defend the belt, a feat he accomplished twice.
Alamos announced his retirement from the sport in 2014 but a return to the ring earlier this year, culminating in a first-round knockout victory has many fans excited to see what the future holds for the French superstar.
7) Damien Trainor
Damien Trainor started his fight career at the age of fourteen out of K-Star Legacy Gym in Birmingham, and three years later, at just 17 he became the #1 ranked bantamweight in the UK. At the age of 21, with several European titles around his waist, Trainor relocated to the motherland of Muay Thai where he fought regularly in the major stadiums. On his return to the UK, Trainor claimed both the WMC MAD and IKF World Titles, and with fights against the likes of Andy Howson, Rungravee Sasiprapa, and Paul Spinks, he has gone down as one of the best Muay Farangs of all time.
8) Ramon Dekkers
When fighters in gyms across the world begin discussing the best Muay Farang of all time, “The Diamond” Ramon Dekkers is always mentioned. In fact, Dekkers is regarded so highly in the world of Muay Thai that in 2013 he was granted The Royal Award from the Thai Royal Family for his services to the sport.
Over the course of his career, Dekkers amassed 224 fights with 186 wins whilst collecting 8 World Titles. Despite this, Dekkers was rarely acknowledged for his accolades. Fans are more likely to mention his fast-paced and relentless fight style and the superhuman work ethic that made him a name in the Thai stadiums at a time when the training and living conditions in Bangkok were notoriously tough.
9) Youssef Boughanem
The Morrocan-Belgian martial artist, Youssef Boughanem, is the most decorated Nak Muay of all time. He has more titles than we could possibly include in this list but his crowning achievement is holding the holy trinity of Thai Stadium titles, capturing the Lumpinee, Rajadamnern, and Omnoi 160lb titles at different times.
In an illustrious career that has already reached 220 fights, Boughanem has fought just about every World and Thai stadium champion of the modern era including Chanajon PK. Saenchaigym, Sudsakorn Sor Klinmee, Saiyok Pumpanmuang, and the legend himself, Buakaw.
10) Cosmo Alexandre
Before the start of his professional MMA career in 2011, Cosmo Alexandre had already fought and beaten some of the best Muay Thai champions of the modern era. The Brazilian fighter started his career in 2004 and in a career that spanned 91 professional fights, Cosmo faced some of the biggest names in the middleweight division including John Wayne Parr, Tum Madsua, Eugene Ekkelboom, and Yodsanklai Fairtex.
11) Jean-Charles Skarbowsky
Despite never holding a World Title, French Welterweight Jean-Charles Skarbowsky is still lauded as one of the best farangs to have ever fought in the art of eight limbs. The extremely technical Skarbowsky is best known for his devastating punching power and his fighter’s spirit. He had a tremendous work ethic which helped him earn him victories over multi-Rajadamnern Stadium Champion Robert Kaennorasing and Lumpinee Stadium Champion Orono Por Muang Ubon. However, the crowning achievements in the Frenchman’s 101 fight career have to be the prestigious Sportswriter’s Fighter Of The Year Award which he won in 2000, and the two times that he was ranked number one in Rajadamnern Stadium in 2003-2006.
12) Ognjen Topic
Serbian-American, Ognjen Topic was a Lion Fight and MTGP World Champion before he moved to Bangkok, joining the famous PKSaenchaiGym where he captured the prestigious Omnoi Stadium Lightweight Title in 2022.
Topic may have a scattered record, with many losses amongst his notable wins but with the likes of Saemapetch Fairtex, Petchmorakot, and Saenchai in his back catalog of opponents, you can’t doubt that he has held his own amongst the best fighters that the sport has to offer.
13) Yohan Lidon
Dual sport champion, Yohan Lidon held multiple Kickboxing and Muay Thai World titles throughout his 146-fight career. Lidon started his career in 1998 and after winning his first professional title in 2005 he was soon a regular feature on promotions across Europe and Australia. Unlike many of the Farangs on this list, Lidon didn’t move to Thailand for many long periods but that didn’t stop him from facing some of the best Thai champions of the era including multiple stadium and world champions Lamsongkram Chuwattana, Naruepol Fairtex, and Yodsanklai Fairtex. Lidon has also faced some of the most prolific Muay Farangs of his era including Steven Wakeling, Steve Moxon, Cosmo Alexandre, and John Wayne Parr.
14) Rafi Bohic
Multiple World and Lumpinee stadium champion Rafi Bohic started his martial arts at 17. Inspired by the success of Damien Alamos, Bohic relocated to the famous Singpatong gym in Phuket. Now a Thailand local, the majority of Bohic’s bouts have taken place in Thai stadiums where he has faced just about every big name who has fought between super lightweight and welterweight, including Pakorn, Avatar, and Pongsiri, the latter of whom he defeated to capture his first 147lb Lumpinee title in 2017.
Bohic is still active and over his last four fights he has strapped on the 4oz gloves to compete on ONE: Friday Fights facing the likes of Yod IQ and Kulabdam under the global ruleset.
15) Iman Barlow
With 107 fights and only 6 defeats credited to her name, “The Pretty Killer,” Iman Barlow is one of Muay Thai’s most successful fighters. The UK Born star made her professional debut at 16 years of age and in 2009, just a year after her first professional bout she won the WKA Bantamweight World Title. Over the next 14 years, Iman captured the WBC, WPMF, Lion Fight, and Enfusion World Titles, the latter of which she defended 6 times.
Iman’s style has been described as the perfect mix of technique, cardio, and aggression. It’s a fatal mix of attributes that she has used to defeat the likes of Yolanda Shmidt, Ekatarina Vandaryeva, and current WBC Featherweight World Champion, Hannah Brady.
16) Caley Reece
Pioneer of female Muay Thai, Australia’s own Caley Reece was a dominant champion, losing only 5 times in her 60-fight professional career. Training out of the famous Riddler’s Gym in the isolated city of Perth, Western Australia, Reece captured the WPMF Featherweight World Title on her professional debut in 2009. She would go on to win another 4 World Titles in her career, including the Lion Fight Featherweight World Title in a bout against Tiffany Van Soest in 2014.
17) Fabio Pinca
Former 5-time World Champion and Rajadamnern 147lb Champion Fabio Pinca has fought and beaten some of the best Thais and Farangs of the modern era, capturing wins over the likes of Youseff Boughanem, Sudsakorn, Rungrat, and Mehdi Zatout throughout his 128-fight career. Whilst many of his fights were held in France and Thai Stadiums, the Italian-French martial artist is truly an international star, having fought regularly across Europe, China, and the United States. While he is known primarily for his successful Muay Thai career, Pinca was also a successful Kickboxer who competed on Glory and captured several European Titles in the sport.
18) Chadd Collins
Australian Nak Muay and Kickboxer, Chadd “The Shark” Collins rose to stardom in 2017 when he defeated modern Muay Thai legend, Seksan over 5 rounds at Rajadamnern Stadium. Following this he almost made history, becoming the first Australian to fight for a Bangkok Stadium Title, facing reigning 147lb Rajadamnern stadium champion, Sakmongkol Sor. Sommai in August. A devastating left elbow in the third round won Collins the fight, but unfortunately, a surprise change of competition weight on the morning of the fight meant that he was ineligible for the title.
Undeterred, Collins has become one of the most dominant strikers on the planet, switching between the two rulesets regularly with ease. Now fighting out of Strikeforce Gym in Queensland, Collins is a unified WMC And WBC Welterweight World Muay Thai champion who regularly fights in Tokyo where he also holds the RISE Super Lightweight Kickboxing World Title.
19) Nathan Corbett
Better known as “Carnage,” Australia’s prodigal Muay Thai star was so dominant in the 2000’s era that he even made our list as one of the Biggest Headhunters of all time. In 65 fights, Corbett was only defeated on 5 occasions and amassed 44 knockouts, most of which came from his aggressive and devastating elbow techniques.
Fighting between Cruiserweight and Heavyweight, Corbett defeated some of the best farangs in the world including Steve McKinnon, Thor Hoopman, and Tyrone Spong (in a fight that was later classified as a no-contest). Carnage captured 11 World Titles throughout his career and now continues his legacy teaching the art of 8 limbs in the United States.
20) Janet Todd
American, Janet Todd is best known to fans as the current ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion but for most of her career, she has primarily fought Muay Thai. Over the course of her 51-fight career, she regularly medalled at the prestigious IFMA championships and held several Amateur titles before being signed to ONE Championship where she has faced some of the biggest stars of the promotions female roster. Todd lost her first challenge for the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai Title when she faced Stamp Fairtex on her promotional debut in February 2019. She found retribution when the pair rematched for the Kickboxing title in the following year. At the most recent ONE Fight Night 20 event on March 8, 2024, Todd stepped into the ring for her last match against Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom, where she put her ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title on the line. Despite a valiant effort, Todd was defeated by unanimous decision. However, her remarkable career remains a source of inspiration. With an amazing legacy in martial arts, Todd has decided to retire, leaving the sport on a high note after an unforgettable run.
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