Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia are perfect in the Southeast Asian Games after Day1

Filippino Team

The boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games began in the capital city of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur with 13 contests on Sunday. The region’s best nations such as Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia delivered perfect performance with great triumphs in the opening day of the Southeast Asian Games.
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):
Vietnam’s Huynh Ngoc Tan is one of the most experienced male boxer from his country who competed already in the 2011 edition of the Southeast Asian Games. The multiple National Champion Vietnamese boxer launched serious punches against Cambodia’s Tola Sann and one of them knocked out his neighbouring rival in the first round of the opening bout of the whole Southeast Asian Games.
Following the Vietnamese boxer’s classical KO triumph Laos’ Southeast Asian Games bronze medallist Bounpone Lasavongsy was the second winner in the competition. Laos’ light flyweight (49kg) boxer returned to the sport after a short break and defeated Singapore’s 20-year-old Prithiv Raaj Elansharan by split decision.

Flyweight (52kg):
Philippines’ former ASBC Asian Youth Champion Ian Clark Bautista is member of the national elite team since 2014 and has got enough experiences at the flyweight (52kg). The 23-year-old Filipino gold medal contender had to meet with Malaysia’s Abdul Salam Bin Kasim who was in the Top8 in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships. Both boxers gave in everything but Bautista was more effective than his Malaysian opponent.
Thailand’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Tanes Ongjunta had a few difficulties in the first round against Cambodia’s Hang Ramorn who was only quarter-finalist in their National Games. The Thai flyweight (52kg) boxer found his best rhythm in the second round and after that moment his victory was clear in their contest. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Ongjunta in Kuala Lumpur.
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, tried to keep the best fighting distance against Vietnam’s Bui Trong Thai from the first seconds and his speed delivered for him a place in the semi-final.

Bantamweight (56kg):
Thailand’s ASBC Asian Champion and two-time Olympian Chatchai Butdee had also a strong opponent as first in the Southeast Asian Games. His rival Malaysia’s Arfiqanie Bin Ahmad Anshori, who developed well in the recent two years, was a competitive boxer for him but finally Butdee was able to beat him with his quick combinations. The second main gold medal contender at the bantamweight (56kg), Philippines’ Mario Fernandez spent only a short time in the ring and knocked out Myanmar’s Maung Nge.

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 knocked down Cambodia’s Phal Sophon already in the first round and the Chinese referee stopped their unequal contest in the second.

Middleweight (75kg):
Philippines’ 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, did not give any chance to Vietnam’s Nguyen Manh Cuong in their one-sided contest.
Malaysia’s National Cup winner Indran Ramakrishnan has got only a few experiences from the international contests but after their training camp in Kazakhstan he knew how he can dominate his bout against East Timor’s Henrique Martins Borges Pereira who moved up two weight classes in the recent two years. The young Malaysian boxer launched serious combinations and the ringside doctor ended the bout due the injury of the East Timor’s hope.