The powerful Somnuek and Suwannapheng dominated the light welterweight in Phuket on Day2
The second competition day of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament concluded with 16 bouts in Phuket today. The Italians produced almost a perfect competition day in the Thailand Open today when 14 impressive female contests were on the agenda.
India’s Monika eliminated Philippines’ former AIBA Women’s World Champion Josie Gabuco but Thailand’s light welterweight girls as Panpatchara Somnuek and Janjaem Suwannapheng both amazed with their strengths on Day2.
Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, India, Italy, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, New Zealand, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore, 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.
The Angsana Convention Hall is the venue of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament. Altogether 130 elite boxers are attending in the Thailand Open including 74 male and 56 female athletes in Phuket.
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.
Italy’s Sirine Charaabi won a hard tactical battle in the opening bout of Day2
Italy’s Sirine Charaabi won the title of the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships one year ago and she progressed in all aspects of boxing in the recent months. The Italian southpaw met with India’s Renu in the first bout of the second competition day and tried to use her speed better than her rival. She moved back before launching her counter-attacks against the tough Indian who tried to go forward from the first seconds. The Indian proved that she is a real fighter and tried to pressurize the technician Italian handled the tactical job in their bantamweight contest in Phuket.
Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh eliminated the Filipino Olympian on Day2
Philippines’ Irish Magno qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games and she represented the country at the flyweight in Japan. The experienced Filipino moved up to the bantamweight and opened her campaign against a tall rival from Vietnam, Vo Thi Kim Anh. Magno tried to move closer to her opponent in the first round but Vo landed excellent left-handed punches from longer range with perfect timing. Magno has done excellent last ten seconds in the first and second rounds but she had hard job against Vo who used her longer hands effectively too. The Vietnamese boxer has been preparing to the upcoming Southeast Asian Games and she was effective to beat the Filipino Olympian.
Tantawa and Walsh dominated their contests in Phuket
Thailand’s Apisada Tantawa is relatively new in the national team at the bantamweight but she decided her contest against Singapore’s Rafhana Binte Rosli still in the first round landing tough punches. Following her quick RSC triumph, New Zealand’s Erin Walsh began the first round against Philippines’ Maricel De La Torre with strong jabs. The Kiwi featherweight boxer was impressive in the first minute but her young Filipino rival adopted the level of the contest and she found her rhythm. De La Torre moved back a few steps before launching her counter-shots and tried to keep the smaller Kiwi boxer on long but Walsh caught her with powerful combinations in the second round. The 26-year-old Irish-born New Zealander was too strong for her Filipino rival and won their contest by unanimous decision.
Nilawan Techasuep defeated her top Vietnamese rival
Thailand’s Nilawan Techasuep achieved silver medal at the Bangkok 2019 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships but she could not expect an easy contest against Vietnam’s Vuong Thi Vy. Her 26-year-old Vietnamese opponent was gold medallist already at the 2011 AIBA Women’s Junior World Boxing Championships and earned silver at the 2017 ASBC Asian Women’s Boxing Championships. Vuong decided to return to the boxing world to earn title at the upcoming SEA Games and met with her main regional rival. Both boxers are tall at the featherweight therefore they used similar style of boxing, landed lot of jabs in the first tactical round. Vuong had powerful hooks in the second round but Techasuep had the right responses to win their quarter-final bout in Phuket.
Testa enjoyed her comeback to the ring
Italy’s Irma Testa is the defending EUBC European Women’s Champion and she claimed bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Italian featherweight star returned to the international stage after a short break as she received some rest after the Olympics. Testa used her longer hands successfully against Nepal’s Chandrakala Thapa who won their last national events in this weight category. The smaller Nepali boxer was brave in the attacks but Testa’s technical skills decided their quarter-final bout in Phuket which was the great comeback of the Italian star.
Manisha Moun eliminated Thailand’s Porntip Buapa
Thailand’s Porntip Buapa achieved silver medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and she is two-time ASBC Asian Youth Champion. The Thai Elite National Champion moved down to the featherweight (57kg) and she tried to keep the distance from the first seconds against India’s experienced Manisha Moun. The Indian reached excellent elite results in the past and she knew how to handle her young Thai opponent. Manisha moved forward in their contest while Buapa tried to be smarter in their contest in Phuket which was the last bout in the afternoon session. The Thai have had not only nice jabs but she combined them with uppercuts in the third round but she was not able to turn back their contest.
Thailand’s veteran Anavat Thongkrathok won his first contest in Phuket
Thailand’s Anavat Thongkrathok claimed bronze medals at the 2013 and 2019 editions of the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships and the veteran boxer decided to still compete in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games. As Thongkrathok will be turning to 40 this year, this is his last chance to achieve a top result due to the rule of the age limit. The Thai light heavyweight boxer met with New Zealand’s newcomer in the international stage, Onyx Lye who was taller than the local participant. Thongkrathok landed tough hooks in all of the three rounds and he won their contest by split decision against the inexperienced Kiwi boxer.
India’s Ashish Kumar returned in a new weight class
India’s Ashish Kumar achieved silver medal at the Bangkok 2019 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships and returned to Thailand after three years. The Indian boxer moved up to the light heavyweight and he is still tall enough for this category and used his best combinations against Thailand’s experienced Aphisit Kanankhokkruea in the first round of their tough contest. The Thai southpaw moved ahead more from the second and he had the fighting spirit to be competitive against the Indian boxer. Kanankhokkruea caught Ashish Kumar with strong body shots in the third round but his Indian rival replied with powerful hooks. The Indian worked enough to win their tight contest in the evening session of the second competition day.
India’s Monika bowed out Philippines’ former World Champion Josie Gabuco
India’s National Champion Monika achieved bronze medal at the Dubai 2021 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships and she is a strong hope in the smallest female weight category. The Indian used fantastic footwork in the first round against Philippines’ former AIBA Women’s World Champion Josie Gabuco and she looked highly motivated. Monika was fast, she had excellent counter-punches in the second round and she had strong attempt to beat the 2019 ASBC Asian Champion of the weight class. The Indian boxer was able to keep her tempo until the last gong and won their contest by split decision in Phuket.
Raksat and Bonatti won their contests on Day2
Thailand’s most successful female boxer, two-time AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Chuthamat Raksat opened her campaign at the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament too. The 29-year-old boxer is member of the national team since 2012 and she was too experienced for Singapore’s Danisha Mathialagan. The referee counted the Singaporean boxer in the first round but she was able to survive those dangerous moments and fought against Raksat until the last gong. Italy’s Roberta Bonatti had a narrow contest against Nepal’s AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Sushma Tamang but she managed to win that challenge.
Panpatchara Somnuek returned with an amazing RSC triumph
Thailand’s Youth Olympic Games winner and ASBC Asian Youth Champion Panpatchara Somnuek moved up to the light welterweight in the recent one year and she won the Elite National Championships. The 21-year-old Thai moved forward from the first seconds and tried to keep the pressure on India’s new national team member, Monika. Somnuek finished the second round of their contest with a powerful body shot but the gong saved Monika. The young Thai felt that she can finish their contest in the third round and landed enough punches to win their quarter-final by RSC.
Suwannapheng and Chen Nien Chin amazed with their progress
Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng moved down to the light welterweight and in comparison to her previous competitions, she progresses in strength and physical condition. She met with Vietnam’s ASBC Asian Women’s Boxing Championships bronze medallist Tran Thi Linh and her frequency was different than her opponent’s one. The young Thai knocked down the Vietnamese boxer in the first round which increased her motivation following that moment. Suwannapheng was seriously strong for the Vietnamese girl and won their contest by large margin of differences. Chinese Taipei’s welterweight star, AIBA Women’s World Champion Chen Nien Chin also developed her physical skills and defeated Vietnam’s promising Hoang Ngoc Mai in a superb contest.
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