Wuttichai Yurachai eliminated South Korea’s Shin Jong Hun in the opening day of the Thailand Open Boxing Tournament
The Thailand Open Boxing Tournament started with its first competition day when 23 contests were held in two sessions. Thailand’s Wuttichai Yurachai delivered the main surprise of the opening day in Bangkok where he was able to eliminate South Korea’s AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Shin Jong Hun.
Altogether 127 men elite boxers are attending in the Thailand Open Boxing Tournament in Bangkok from three different continents. The winners of today’s contests advanced to the last 16 in the competition excluding the middleweight (75kg) where the boxers could secure their places to the quarter-finals.
Thailand’s Yuttapong Tongdee moved down to the flyweight (52kg) since his last appearance in the international stage. The 25-year-old Thai boxer reduced the fighting distance in the first round against his taller opponent Chinese Taipei’s Lin Hong Ta. Tongdee moved ahead from the first seconds and his skills were enough to find his opponent’s weak point which means Thailand’s pride can fight in the last 16.
Thailand’s Wuttichai Masuk is the defending Asian Games winner who won the 2015 edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships. The 28-year-old Thai light welterweight (64kg) boxer started slowly against Kazakhstan’s Miras-Ali Sarsenov but he found his rhythm in the third minute of the bout. Sarsenov launched a few excellent left-handed hooks in the second round therefore Masuk had to do his very best to eliminated Kazakhstan’s new young sensation in Bangkok.
Thirteen boxers registered at the middleweight (75kg) where Thailand’s two hopes had to meet each other in the first bout of the category. Pathomsak Kuttiya is more experienced than his teammate Nattapong Phromtai which he showed in the first round. The 28-year-old Kuttiya was confident in the first round and landed clear punches against his smaller rival. Kuttiya, who won one contest in the last edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships, eliminated his compatriot using his tough jabs.
Kazakhstan’s Aman Kazankapov was gold medallist in the Pavlodar 2016 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships and the 20-year-old middleweight (75kg) boxer is even more successful also in the elite level. The Kazakh boxer used his longer reach in the first round against Nepal’s Deepak Shrestha who moved up to this category only in the recent months. Shrestha, who is eight-year older than his Kazakh rival, was strong and brave in the second round but Kazankapov returned in the third with better performance. The young Kazakh boxer won their contest by unanimous decision and advanced to the last eight.
South Korea’s Kim Jin Jea attended in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup last week and after a few days of break he competes in the Thailand Open Boxing Tournament in Bangkok. The 22-year-old South Korean middleweight (75kg) boxer knocked down his inexperienced rival, Myanmar’s Ye Lin Tun in the first round. Kim felt he can finalize their contest quickly and moved ahead to pressurize his opponent from Myanmar. Following his strong efforts the referee stopped their contest in the first round.
Sri Lanka’s Thiwanka Sandaruwan Ranasinghe was bronze medallist in the Commonwealth Games and he has been preparing to the Asian Games with full speed. Sri Lanka’s best light flyweight (49kg) boxer had a tactical first round against Bhutan’s Tashi Wangdi which bout was the opening of the evening session. The more experienced Sri Lankan boxer delivered his best in the third round and celebrated his triumph after the last gong.
South Korea’s AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist and defending Asian Games champion at the light flyweight (49kg) Shin Jong Hun returned to the world of boxing to defend his title in Jakarta in August. Shin kept the distance well in the first minute against Thailand’s Wuttichai Yurachai but the host nation’s pride was able to catch him with powerful uppercuts. Shin had better footwork in the second round but his Thai opponent stepped into the gas and eliminated his Korean star rival in Bangkok.
Laos’ Khamsathone Khamphouvanh attended as a teenager in the 2015 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships and returned to Bangkok with upgraded skills. Khamphouvanh, who has been training with Ukrainian coach Dmitriy Morozov, landed seriously high number of punches in the first round against Cambodia’s Lon Seam. The 21-year-old Lao light flyweight (49kg) boxer was too strong in the second round for his Cambodian opponent and the referee had to count Lon in that period. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Khamsathone Khamphouvanh who was in different level today.
Thailand’s Chatchai Butdee was ASBC Asian Champion in 2015 and had all of the potentials to control the first round against South Korea’s Lee Ye Chan. The 33-year-old Thai bantamweight (56kg) boxer was quicker than his Korean opponent and controlled their contest. Lee moved up two weight classes in the recent half year but he was still not enough strong in the bantamweight (56kg) therefore Butdee was able to win the bout by unanimous decision in the front of the home crowd.
Indonesia’s National Games winner Sunan Agung Amoragam moved up to the bantamweight (56kg) in the recent half year and tried to catch his strong African opponent, All Africa Games bronze medallist Mokhotho Moroke of Lesotho. The Rio 2016 Olympian boxer from Lesotho was technically well-prepared but received too many strong punches from the Indonesian side. Amoragam is only 21 but he proved his talent against a tough rival and won the bout by split decision in Bangkok.
Vietnam’s Tran Phu Cuong worked more on feet than his rival from Hong Kong Tam Kwok Leung and took the lead in each scorecard after three minutes of fight. Vietnam’s best bantamweight (56kg) boxer had enough background to dominate his fight against Hong Kong’s National Champion. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Tran Phu Cuong who advanced to the next preliminary round in Bangkok.
The Al-Matbouli family is famous of their tradition in boxing, their new young hope Ahmad started well against Mauritius’ former AFBC African Champion Jean John Colin. Ahmad Al-Matbouli is only 21 but he was able to dictate the tempo against a seven-year older rival in Bangkok. The Mauritian lightweight (60kg) boxer had to go to the medical corner in the second round and the ringside doctor ended their contest. In the same weight class South Korea’s Hyeon Dong Ju knocked out Cambodia’s Visit Sim in the second round.
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