Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and host Malaysia are the gold medallists in the Southeast Asian Games

Following the exciting semi-finals of the boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games, the six final contests were held in the capital city of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. The first gold medal was achieved by Muhammad Fuad Bin Mohamed Redzuan of Malaysia but after that Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines also won titles in Kuala Lumpur.
The boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games was 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 and most experienced national team member boxer 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 was Thailand’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Thani Narinram who achieved silver medal in the Giraldo Cordova Cardin Memorial Tournament in Cuba this year. The Malaysian opponent delivered his best performance in the final and won his career highlight in the front of the home crowd.

Flyweight (52kg):
Indonesia’s new national elite team member Aldoms Suguro won the gold medal in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup in Mongolia 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 against Singapore’s Youth Olympian Mohamed Hanurdeen Bin Hamid to get through to the semi-finals in Kuala Lumpur. Suguro amazed the judges and the crowd also against Thailand’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Tanes Ongjunta and his efforts delivered for him a gold medal in the SEA Games which result is his career highlight as the Malaysian winner at the light flyweight (49kg).

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. Following his semi-final success the dream final realized in Kuala Lumpur and met with Philippines’ Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Mario Fernandez. The Filipino boxer began the bout with strong punches but Butdee was a hard target and his counter-attacks worked well in the final therefore he was able to deliver Thailand’s first gold medal in the boxing tournament of the SEA Games.

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 was 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 and Philippines’ Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Charly Suarez which was an early final in this weight class. Masuk met for the title with Indonesia’s 20-year-old Saroha Tua Lumbantobing but he was in different level than his opponent this time.

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 met for his second title with Thailand’s Pathomsak Kuttiya. The Filipino boxer was able to use his best fighting distance in the bout and defended his throne in the Southeast Asian Games.

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 met with Malaysia’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Adil Hafidz Bin Mohamed Pauzi in the final but it was only 21 seconds and Tupas won their contest by RSC.

List of the winners in the Southeast Asian Games
49kg: Muhammad Fuad Bin Mohamed Redzuan, Malaysia
52kg: Aldoms Suguro, Indonesia
56kg: Chatchai Butdee, Thailand
64kg: Wuttichai Masuk, Thailand
75kg: Eumir Felix Marcial, Philippines
81kg: Marvin John Nobel Tupas, Philippines