It has been a year when the cream of Muay Thai talent has separated decisively from the rest.
Singdam ‘Black Lion’ Kiatmoo9 has relied on powerful kicks to see off challengers.
The current elite of Muay Thai professionals were repeatedly tested at the main boxing stadiums in Bangkok.
Here are this year's highlights:
Most Outstanding
Saenchai Sor Kingstar is regarded as the best pound-for-pound Muay Thai fighter on the planet. As well as travelling the world taking on worthy challenges and beating them all, back home in Thailand he fought three epic battles with his arch-rival Singdam 'Black Lion' Kiatmoo9 and won the decider with masterly dominance. Like a fine wine, Saenchai at 30 years is a classic Thai vintage.
Most Admired
Has Thailand ever had a more popular Muay Thai fighter than Buakaw Por Pramuk? There's been some big names over the decades _ the likes of Diesel-noi, Saengthien-noi and Namkabuan. But Buakaw, the two-time winner of K1 Max and Thai Fight repeat welterweight champion, has become an icon and the undisputed face of Muay Thai. Watching Buakaw live is genuine entertainment and Muay Thai wizardry mixed together in spectacular fighting motion. Expect Buakaw to win Thai Fight for the third successive time in 2013.
Most Appealing
There's so much to like about Singdam Kiatmoo9. The Black Lion has been consistently very good for the past three years and heads the Lumpinee list of most appealing fighters. Apart from his nemesis Saenchai, Singdam has beaten all challengers with his strength and powerful kicks, and is certain to be a top contender for many more years ahead.
Most Impressive
Kem Sitsongpeenong has been Thailand's stalwart fighter for the past two years. He holds all the top titles _ WBC, Thai Fight and WMC. He's the most explosive super-welterweight fighter in full-rules Muay Thai and remains virtually unbeatable at close quarters, where he makes damaging use of his elbows as weapons.
Boxing Fillip
The past year resulted in boxing getting a major fillip when China won its first professional world boxing championship after Xiong Zhao Zhong won the WBC straweight title.
Kem Sitsongpeenong, right, in action.
Zhong is the first Chinese boxer to ever win a world championship in any country and was cheered on by a massive television audience of 120 million on mainland China.
There are plans for Zhong to defend his historic world title in Las Vagas next March with live TV broadcast to China estimated to reach more than 200 million Chinese, about 100 times more than the pay-for-view eyeballs for top fights out of America.
However, the fight that the world is still waiting for is Manny Pacquiao v Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The window for staging the event has narrowed down to September next year as Mayweather has reportedly set aside one month for the biggest boxing championship so far this century.
Those close to Pacquiao say the great Filipino fighter has only two choices _ either fight Mayweather for a US$40 million purse or retire from the ring, as his wife Jinkee has urged him to do.
Fighting anyone other than Mayweather makes little sense for Pacquiao, who's been told by Jinkee she was "scared" watching at ringside when her husband was knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez. And fighting Marquez for the fifth time would be seen by many as dangerous bravado.
It would make a lot more sense for Pacquiao, the 33-year-old eight-division champion (54-5-2, 38 KOs), to conclude his sterling 17-year boxing career with a grand finale against the undefeated Mayweather.
Saenchai Sor Kingstar is the greatest pound-for-pound Muay Thai fighter.
Buakaw Por Pramuk, right, is the most popular Muay Thai fighter.
