Hall of Fame awaits Pongsaklek, but only after retirement

BANGKOK, Jan 14 (Reuters) Record-breaking Thai fighter Pongsaklek Wongjongkam must wait until he retires before entering the World Boxing Council's (WBC) Hall of Fame, WBC President Jose Sulaiman said.

The Thai southpaw, who has made 16 straight defences of the flyweight title he won in 2001, will be enshrined along with the likes of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier but only five years after he hangs up his gloves, Sulaiman said in today's edition of the Bangkok Post.

''I'm afraid he must wait to be part of the Hall of Fame, even though he has won his place already,'' he was quoted as saying.

''Pongsaklek has been a great champion. He has proved his capability through his brilliant fistic power, style and craft.'' The 29-year-old, who hails from Thailand's impoverished northeast, will instead be honoured at the WBC's annual convention in Manila this year, Sulaiman said.

Pongsaklek (63-2) silenced his critics in November when he beat South African Monelisi ''Showtime'' Myekeni in his first mandatory fight in almost three years.

Sulaiman reportedly said he had ''no explanation'' as to why Pongsaklek was allowed to go so long without facing a mandatory challenger.

The Thai, who rarely fights outside his home country, has agreed to take on veteran Daisuke Naito in Japan in March and is aiming for four more defences before the end of the year.

REUTERS PDS BST1535