Philippines’ Rogen Ladon was brilliant in the day of the semi-finals at the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament

Twenty-three semi-final bouts featured in the fifth competition day of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament in Phuket today where the crowd recognized three knockouts. Philippines’ Rogen Ladon delivered one of the most sensational performances in the fantastic competition day which decided the final line-ups.

India, Italy, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Vietnam have finalists in the new edition of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament. The eighteen exciting finals will be starting at 11:00am on Saturday and as all of the previous competition days, the fans can follow the bouts on the YouTube.

Altogether 130 elite boxers are attending in the Thailand Open including 74 male and 56 female athletes in Phuket. Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, India, Italy, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, New Zealand, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore, host Thailand and Vietnam are attending in the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament.

Mrs. Karina Picson of the Philippines is the Technical Delegate of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament in Phuket where Mr. Wan Abdul Hamid of Malaysia is the Deputy TD while India’s Lenny D’Gama works as Observer and Referee & Judge Evaluator.

The Angsana Convention Hall is the venue of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament. The Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament is a preparation event before the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships and EUBC European Elite Boxing Championships.   

Ladon eliminated Saengphet in the first bout of the day

Thailand’s 19-year-old Thanarat Saengphet was bronze medallist at the Belgrade 2021 AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships on his first ever international competition. The Thai flyweight hope eliminated Kazakhstan’s defending AIBA World Champion Saken Bibossynov in the quarter-finals which was the best bout of the last competition day. The Thai teenager met in the last four with Philippines’ Asian Games silver medallist Rogen Ladon and he tried to do the same strong game as in the last bout. Saengphet moved ahead more in the second round but the experienced Filipino was smart and used the Thai boxer’s faults to counter-attacked him. Ladon proved better performance than in the quarter-finals and the southpaw boxer worked hard until the last gong to beat the Thai teenage star. Ladon will be boxing with India’s ASBC Asian Champion and Asian Games winner Amit Panghal in the final of the category

Kazakhstan’s Serik Temirzhanov eliminated Rujakran Juntrong in the first semi-final of the featherweight

Kazakhstan arrived to the venue of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament with their best male boxers and their stars impressed in Phuket. The Pavlodar-based AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Serik Temirzhanov eliminated Singapore’s Mohamed Hanurdeen Bin Hamid in the quarter-finals and met with Thailand’s Asian Games bronze medallist Rujakran Juntrong today. The local boxer moved down to the featherweight but he has still the speed and power to be competitive for Temirzhanov. The 24-year-old Kazakh moved forward from the second round and he landed enough shots to beat Juntrong who progressed too in the recent one year. Temirzhanov will be meeting for the title with Philippines’ Ian Clark Bautista who knocked out his Vietnamese rival in the second part of the semi-finals.

Thailand’s first male finalist is Peerapat Yeasungnoen

Thailand’s two-time ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Peerapat Yeasungnoen joined to the elite national team in 2019 and he moved forward in the rankings step by steps. Yeasungnoen competes at the middleweight (75kg) in the Thailand Open and after two successes, he met in the last four with Vietnam’s Bui Phuoc Tung. They have similar fighting style, physical skills and game strategy therefore the contest delivered a real fight. Yeasungnoen worked hard until the last seconds and his powerful shots decided their narrow contest in Phuket. The 22-year-old Thai will now meet for the gold medal with India’s young sensation, Sumit who eliminated Kazakhstan’s Ayatulla Takizhanov.

Aibek Oralbay won the Kazakh battle at the heavyweight

Kazakhstan’s Youth Olympic Games winner Aibek Oralbay joined to the elite age group in 2019 following he won several big titles among the junior and youth age groups. His teammate, Sagyndyk Togambay had the same road, he is three-time ASBC Asian Champion as junior and youth. Togambay won his first ever elite competition, the Gee Bee Tournament in Helsinki on March 2020 and he earned gold at the Strandja Memorial a few weeks ago. Kazakhstan’s two best heavyweight boxers met each other in a crucial semi-final which was the first selection bout between them. Oralbay started better the contest and he had quick attacks in the first round therefore he had some advantage after three minutes. The one-year-older Oralbay was slightly better in the exchanges in the second round and despite of Togambay’s efforts in the third, he won their fantastic semi-final bout. Oralbay will now meet for the gold medal with Thailand’s strong Jakkapong Yomkhot who eliminated Indonesia’s Sandyarto Deno Feroja.

Villegas eliminated Thailand’s young favourite

Philippines’ Aira Villegas competed in her first event in 2012 and after 10 years of experiences, she is now one of the best female boxers of their national team. The Strandja Memorial Tournament silver medallist was amazing in the quarter-finals of the women’s flyweight in Phuket but she met with a super talented rival, Thailand’s Nillada Meekoon. The Filipino southpaw tried to control the first round against the 20-year-old Thai who achieved silver at the Budapest 2018 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. Villegas, who proved brilliant progress, felt the tempo better than her Thai opponent and won their semi-final by unanimous decision in Phuket.

Vietnam’s No.1 Nguyen Thi Tam is finalist in Phuket

Nguyen Thi Tam won the ASBC Asian Women’s Boxing Championships in Ho Chi Minh City in 2017 and she is their current spearhead in the national team. The Tokyo Olympian boxer faced with Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong who reached the quarter-finals in the Olympics last August. The Vietnamese boxer was patient in the first round, she landed shots from counter-attacking range and controlled the opening minutes of their semi-final. Jitpong performed much better in their semi-final than in her previous contests but she was not able to turn back their world class bout.

Thailand’s tall Nilawan Techasuep is finalist in Phuket

Thailand’s featherweight No.1, ASBC Asian Women’s Boxing Championships silver medallist Nilawan Techasuep could not qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games but she had strong motivations in the recent period to increase her knowledge in all aspects of boxing. The tall boxer faced with New Zealand’s Irish-born Erin Walsh in the semi-finals and used not only her longer hands to keep the distance but her punches were stronger in the first round. Walsh has been preparing to the upcoming Commonwealth Games but she never met with such level of opponent as Nilawan Techasuep. The Thai boxer overcame the Kiwi hope in the attacks and she won their contest by unanimous decision in Phuket. Techasuep will be meeting

Somchay Wongsuwan won his semi-final by KO

Thailand’s Somchay Wongsuwan competed already at the 2014 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships and he needed a few years to be the No.1 in his weight class. Since 2019 he developed amazingly and Wongsuwan is now one of the best hopes of the host nation’s squad. The Thai light welterweight boxer was careful in the first round against Cambodia’s Davit Touch who knocked out his previous rival. Following the relatively slow first round, Wongsuwan stepped into the gas and knocked out his neighbouring rival in the second. The Thai boxer will be meeting in the final with Kazakhstan’s Sultan Mussinov who surprisingly eliminated his teammate, Sanatali Toltayev.

Shymbergenov knocked out Thailand’s No.1 in the semi-finals

Thailand’s Youth Olympic Games winner and AIBA Youth World Champion Atichai Phoemsap performed strongly in the quarter-finals of the welterweight and he could expect a hard battle against Kazakhstan’s Aslanbek Shymbergenov who lost only one bout in 2021. The taller Kazakh moved ahead more in the first round while Phoemsap trusted on his speed and counter-shots in the opening minutes. Both boxers increased their tempo in the beginning of the second round and landed more punches. Shymbergenov used up that Phoemsap’s hands were down and launched a seriously powerful right-handed hook which decided their semi-final. Shymbergenov knocked out his main rival and will now meet for the title with Thailand’s experienced Bunjong Sinsiri who eliminated Indonesia’s promising Saroha Tua Lumbantobing.

Italy’s third finalist is Alessia Mesiano

Italy’s 2016 AIBA Women’s World Champion Alessia Mesiano is the main favourite at the lightweight (60kg) in Phuket but she had a tough job against Thailand’s Panida Kaewkankhun who achieved bronze medal at the Kielce 2021 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. The Thai youngster kept long distance against the experienced Italian who ruled the middle of the ring in the first and second rounds. Mesiano landed multiple shots and took care of her defence too in all of the three periods which guaranteed her place in the final. Mesiano will be boxing for the gold medal with Philippines’ Riza Pasuit who had a tight contest against Nepal’s Punam Rawal. 

Chen Nien Chin and Baison Manikon are the welterweight finalists

Chinese Taipei produced three AIBA Women’s World Champions in the recent cycle and one of them is Chen Nien Chin who returned to the events after a short break. She is the favourite for the gold medal at the welterweight in the Thailand Open and uses the competition as preparations before the Istanbul event. Chen moved lot on feet and she landed several clear jabs against New Zealand’s Olympic Qualifier competitor Ariane Nicholson in their semi-final. Chen was technically better and stronger than her Kiwi rival therefore she can box in the last competition day in Phuket. Chen’s final opponent will be Thailand’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Baison Manikon who eliminated India’s Pooja.

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