Thailand and China are the most successful nations in the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament
The six female and the eight male final bouts were held in the Nimibutr Sport Stadium which is the official venue of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament. Thailand achieved five gold medals in the competition but China’s four titles are also impressive before the start of the AIBA events.
The number of the boxers in the competition was altogether impressive 247 from 32 different nations of all of the five Confederations. Among the 247 participants, 98 were women boxers, furthermore 149 male athletes attended in the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament where 14 champions have been crowned.
Most of the participating nations used the Thailand Open Boxing Tournament as the last selection and preparation before the upcoming AIBA World Boxing Championships and AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.
Uzbekistan’s Nodirjon Mirzakhmedov won the opening male final in the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament
Uzbekistan’s current ASBC Asian Champion at the men’s light flyweight (49kg) Nodirjon Mirzakhmedov had hard road to the finals of the Thailand Open but he was able to deliver his very best in Bangkok. The Uzbek boxer eliminated Malaysia’s Southeast Asian Games winner Muhammad Fuad Bin Mohamed Redzuan in the last four and met with India’s Deepak Singh who eliminated Bhutan’s sensation Tashi Wangdi in the second semi-final. Their bout was the repeat final of the 2019 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships and the result became the same once again, the Uzbek won this contest by unanimous decision.
Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat defeated her younger teammate at the final of the women’s light flyweight (48kg)
Thailand’s experienced Chuthamat Raksat claimed bronze medal in the Jeju 2014 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and she returned to her original light flyweight (48kg) to get the title of the Thailand Open. The 26-year-old Thai hope was slightly better than India’s National Champion Manju Rani in the semi-finals and faced with one of her main national rivals Ratchaneekorn Sikadon who eliminated Australia’s Kaila Riley winning that semi-final bout by unanimous decision. Raksat proved her smart boxing and tactically she was better than Sikadon this time which means she won Thailand’s first gold in Bangkok.
Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist China’s Hu Jianguan advanced to the final of the flyweight (52kg)
China’s best male boxer in their current national team is definitely Hu Jianguan who is a key boxer at the flyweight (52kg). The Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist and AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Hu Jianguan eliminated Laos’ No.1 Khamsathone Khamphouvanh in the quarter-finals and Thailand’s Surasit Luangpotha during his road to the finals of the Thailand Open. The 26-year-old Chinese boxer had to meet for the gold medal with Kazakhstan’s 19-year-old Yevgeniy Pavlov who eliminated Mongolia’s Enkhmandakh Kharkhuu in the last four. The taller Kazakh boxer attacked more in their contest but received punches from Hu’s counter shots were amazing in their final. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Hu who realized his golden dreams in Bangkok.
China’s Chang Yuan claimed her nation’s second gold medal in Bangkok
China’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games winner, AIBA Youth World Champion and Jakarta 2018 Asian Games winner Chang Yuan eliminated Vietnam’s 2017 ASBC Asian Champion Nguyen Thi Tam in the semi-final. The 22-year-old Chinese boxer used her excellent footwork also in the final against India’s Nikhat Zareen who eliminated Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong in the last four. Chang was a hard target for the Strandja Memorial Tournament winner Indian and used her counter-attacking style to control the final. The Chinese boxer was too smart for Zareen today and claimed her nation’s second gold medal in the Thailand Open.
Butdee vs. Hussamuddin was one of the highlights of the male finals in Bangkok
Thailand’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist and Bangkok 2015 ASBC Asian Champion Chatchai Decha Butdee is a veteran boxer now but he is still in top shape and proved his energetic style in the semi-finals of the male bantamweight (56kg) against Philippines’ Ian Clark Bautista. The 34-year-old Thai boxer had to meet with a tough opponent India’s Strandja Memorial Tournament silver medallist Mohamed Hussamuddin who had several events in the recent years. Both boxers had the same style in the final and in that game Butdee was better and won the title of the Thailand Open on home soil.
Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio defeated Thailand’s Nilawan Techasuep in the final of the women’s featherweight (57kg)
Philippines’ Jeju 2014 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Nesthy Petecio won more than 90% of her international contests in the recent years and she was among the favourites at the featherweight (57kg). The 27-year-old Filipino boxer met for the gold with Thailand’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships silver medallist and Boxam Tournament winner Nilawan Techasuep who eliminated Italy’s Rio 2016 Olympian Irma Testa and Russia’s Liudmilla Vorontsova as well. Petecio used an aggressive tactic against her taller rival and she amazed not only her supporters but the crowd as well. The Filipino boxer landed seriously tough hooks which worked well in their contest delivering Philippines’ lone gold medal in Bangkok.
Mongolia’s Asian Games winner Erdenebat Tsendbaatar remained unbeaten in Asia after the semi-finals of the lightweight (60kg)
Mongolia’s Jakarta 2018 Asian Games winner and ASBC Asian Champion Erdenebat Tsendbaatar is one of the best boxers at the lightweight (60kg) not only in our continent but in the whole globe as well. The Mongolian boxer is small but his aggressive style is uncomfortable for his opponents. He eliminated Kazakhstan’s Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships competitor Adilet Kurmetov in the semi-finals and met for the gold with Thailand’s Rujakran Juntrong. Their bout delivered a manly fight and both boxers gave in everything to their spectacular contest which was one of the bests in the evening. The Mongolian had to do his very best in the final and won his next big title following his amazing hooks which he landed several times.
Australia’s Anja Stridsman surprised the boxers at the women’s lightweight (60kg)
Australia’s Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games winner Anja Stridsman is a tough boxer at the women’s lightweight (60kg) but she was not the main favourite for the gold medal in the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament. The Aussie boxer has done a surprise already in the semi-finals of the Open but she was still hungry for her next success in the final against Thailand’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sudaporn Seesondee in Bangkok. The Aussie girl boxed over her limit and defeated the top favourite in the final causing a big upset in Bangkok.
Youth Olympic Games winner 19-year-old Atichai Phoemsap won his first elite title
Thailand’s A team member Somchay Wongsuwan proved dramatic developments in the recent one year and following his hard work he eliminated Mongolia’s Asian Games silver medallist Chinzorig Baatarsukh in the semi-final of the light welterweight (64kg). Wongsuwan had to meet with for the gold medal with a four-year younger teammate, Thailand’s B team member Youth Olympic Games winner and AIBA Youth World Champion Atichai Phoemsap. The 19-year-old promising star was patient in their contest and landed his punches with perfect timing which means Phoemsap defeated his top national rival in the Open.
China’s Gu Hong and her teammate Li Qian won the last two female finals
China’s Gu Hong defeated Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien Chin in the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open which was the repeat the final of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships which was the early final in Bangkok. The Chinese boxer eliminated also Russia’s Galina Golovchenko and had to meet with another European rival for the gold Italy’s Angela Carini who surprisingly defeated DPR Korea’s Kim Jin Son in the last four. ASBC Asian Champion Gu had a well-built tactic in their contest but Carini also surprised the Asian girl with her jabs. The Chinese boxer stepped into the gas in the last round and she was able to beat her 21-year-old Italian rival in the final of the welterweight (69kg). The next Chinese gold medal was achieved by AIBA Women’s World Champion Li Qian who defeated DPR Korea’s Pak Un Sim on their re-match at the middleweight (75kg).
Thailand’s Wuttichai Masuk impressed at the men’s welterweight (69kg) once again
Thailand’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner and Bangkok 2015 ASBC Asian Champion Wuttichai Masuk is in similar top form as in the middle of this decade. Masuk moved up to the welterweight (69kg) in the recent three months but he adopted the strength of the punches very quickly. The 29-year-old Thai No.1 eliminated India’s Ashish Kulhriya in a superb semi-final on Friday. Masuk met for the gold medal with South Korea’s Lim Hyun Chul who knocked out his rival in the semi-finals. Lim tried to pressurize his world class opponent but Masuk’s technical superiority decided their spectacular final.
India’s Ashish Kumar and Thailand’s Anavat Thongkrathok earned the last two titles in the Open
India’s Ashish Kumar replaced their former star Vikash Krishan Yadav in the national team at the middleweight (75kg) but he quickly achieved a medal in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships three months ago. Following that success, the Indian was able to beat South Korea’s Kim Jin Jae in the final of the middleweight (75kg) in Bangkok. The last gold medal of the whole Thailand Open was achieved by Thailand’s veteran Anavat Thongkrathok who had amazing fighting spirit in the final of the light heavyweight (81kg) and defeated India’s Brijesh Yadav.
List of the winners in the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament
Women’s 48kg: Chuthamat Raksat, Thailand
Women’s 51kg: Chang Yuan, China
Women’s 57kg: Nesthy Petecio, Philippines
Women’s 60kg: Anja Stridsman, Australia
Women’s 69kg: Gu Hong, China
Women’s 75kg: Li Qian, China
Men’s 49kg: Nodirjon Mirzakhmedov, Uzbekistan
Men’s 52kg: Hu Jianguan, China
Men’s 56kg: Chatchai Decha Butdee, Thailand
Men’s 60kg: Erdenebat Tsendbaatar, Mongolia
Men’s 64kg: Atichai Phoemsap, Thailand
Men’s 69kg: Wuttichai Masuk, Thailand
Men’s 75kg: Ashish Kumar, India
Men’s 81kg: Anavat Thongkrathok, Thailand
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