Five Thai boxers advanced to the finals of the Southeast Asian Games

The semi-finals of the boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games were held in the capital city of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur where 12 important contests were in the program on Tuesday. The winners of today’s contests are finalists in the Southeast Asian Games where Thailand, Philippines, host Malaysia and Indonesia have got boxers in the upcoming gold medal bouts.
The boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games is scheduled in six men’s weight classes in Kuala Lumpur this time: light flyweight (49kg), flyweight (52kg), bantamweight (56kg), light welterweight (64kg), middleweight (75kg) and light heavyweight (81kg). The multisport event is a small Olympic Games in the region and boxing is one of the most familiar sport in the official program.

Light flyweight (49kg):
Malaysia’s No.1 Muhammad Fuad Bin Mohamed Redzuan did a big sensation in the quarter-final when he eliminated Philippines’ AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist 19-year-old teenage star Carlo Paalam on Day2. The 26-year-old Malaysian boxer did well also in the semi-final against Laos’ Southeast Asian Games bronze medallist Bounpone Lasavongsy and advanced to the gold medal bout of the event. Fuad’s final opponent will be Thailand’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Thani Narinram who eliminated Vietnam’s Huynh Ngoc Tan in the second semi-final.

Flyweight (52kg):
Indonesia’s Aldoms Suguro won the gold medal in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup in June which was his last preparation event before the Southeast Asian Games. The 23-year-old flyweight (52kg) boxer, who competed already in the 2012 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships, eliminated Vietnam’s Bui Trong Thai in the quarter-final and did enough to get through to the semi-finals in Kuala Lumpur. Suguro did a sensational last round against Singapore’s Youth Olympian Mohamed Hanurdeen Bin Hamid and will be fighting for the title with Thailand’s Tanes Ongjunta after the rest day.

Bantamweight (56kg):
Thailand’s ASBC Asian Champion and two-time Olympian Chatchai Butdee had to beat a strong rival as first in the boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games, Malaysia’s Arfiqanie Bin Ahmad Anshori. Following that he was concentrated in his second bout in the Games and defeated Indonesia’s new sensation Simon Makerawe. Butdee had to box in his third bout on Day3 against Laos’ Vilaysack Chansamone and due his great combinations the Thai veteran won the semi-final by unanimous decision. He will be boxing with another gold medal contender at the bantamweight (56kg), Philippines’ Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Mario Fernandez in the final.

Light welterweight (64kg):
Thailand’s best boxer Wuttichai Masuk is ASBC Asian Champion, Asian Games winner and bronze medallist from the Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships therefore he is the main favourite for a title in the Southeast Asian Games. The 27-year-old Thai star stopped Cambodia’s Phal Sophon in the first preliminary round and after that quick success he won all of the rounds against Vietnam’s Bui Phuoc Tung. Masuk’s third opponent was Philippines’ Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Charly Suarez which was an early final in this weight class. Masuk was a hard target for Suarez therefore the Thai boxer can meet in the gold medal bout with Indonesia’s 20-year-old Saroha Tua Lumbantobing who eliminated Singapore’s Leong Jun Hao.

Middleweight (75kg):
Philippines’ 2015 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Eumir Felix Marcial is a well-known boxer in the whole globe since his title in the 2011 AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships. Marcial, who recovered from his injury and moved up to the middleweight (75kg) this year, eliminated Vietnam’s Nguyen Manh Cuong in the quarter-final and continued his winning path against Malaysia’s Indran Ramakrishnan. The defending SEA Games winner Marcial will be boxing for his second title against Thailand’s Pathomsak Kuttiya in Kuala Lumpur.

Light heavyweight (81kg):
Philippines did not have any light heavyweight (81kg) boxer in the recent years but their UK-based boxer Marvin John Nobel Tupas was amazed the crowd with his strong combinations in the quarter-final stage of the event against Cambodia’s Cuban-descent Felix Merlin Martinez. Tupas did enough to win his second contest against Thailand’s veteran boxer Anavat Thongkrathok and advanced to the final. The Filipino talent will now meet with Malaysia’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Adil Hafidz Bin Mohamed Pauzi.