Thais sweep three golds, overall title

Thais sweep three golds, overall title

Chatchai, Wuttichai and Tanes savour triumphs, Somchay suffers loss at invitation boxing meet

Thailand's Wuttichai Masuk, left, in action against Uzbekistan's Elnur Abduraimov. photos: Apichit Jinakul
Thailand's Wuttichai Masuk, left, in action against Uzbekistan's Elnur Abduraimov. photos: Apichit Jinakul

Local fighters won three gold medals and the country took the overall title at the Thailand Invitation boxing tournament on Saturday.

With four men in the finals at BG Hall in Pathum Thani, the Thai winners were Tanes Ongjunta (52kg), Chatchai Butdee (56kg) and Wuttichai Masuk (64kg).

Unfortunately, rising star Somchay Wongsuwan was knocked out in the opening round of the 60kg final by Mongolia's Dorjnyambuu Otgondalai.

Defending champion Tanes defeated Cuba's Frank Zaldivar 4-1 after three rounds.

In the bantamweight final, Chatchai proved too strong for North Korea's Jo Hyo-Nam, winning 5-0 to be named the best boxer of the tournament.

In the light-welterweight showdown, Asian Games champion Wuttichai defeated Elnur Abduraimov 5-0 following a bloody contest during which both fighters suffered cuts.

In the other three bouts, India's Shyam Kumar Kakara (49kg) and Akhmedov Sadriddin of Kazahkstan (69kg) won the titles by default, and Madrimov Israil of Uzbekistan defeated Cuba's Osley Iglesias in the 75kg class.

It was Cuba's Julian Cedeno's first tournament as coach of Thailand.

The Cuban arrived in Thailand last year after the country's embarrassing campaign at the 2016 Olympics which ended without a single medal.

It was the first time that they failed to claim a podium finish at an Olympics since Payao Poontarat became the country's first ever medallist in the Games when he took the bronze in Montreal in 1976.

Cedeno's main task is guide Thailand to secure at least a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Thailand Boxing Association president Pichai Chunhavajira said after yesterday's finals: "Our boxers have made progress under the Cuban coaching team."

Meanwhile, Vasyl Lomachenko, who has established himself as one of boxing's most explosive talents in just eight pro bouts, puts his World Boxing Organisation super-featherweight title on the line against American Jason Sosa in Maryland this morning, Bangkok time.

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Lomachenko is widely regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world on the back of building a 7-1 pro record.

He won the WBO featherweight world title in his third professional fight in 2014 and grabbed the super-featherweight belt with a knockout victory over Roman Martinez on June 11 of last year.

In November, he dismantled Jamaica's Nicholas Walters, whose corner threw in the towel after seven rounds of a lopsided bout.

Lomachenko's speed, skill and power have made top fighters in the super featherweight ranks reluctant to face him, according to his promoters Top Rank.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promoted such greats as Muhammad Ali, says he's "never seen" a fighter with the skill set Lomachenko boasts. bangkok post/afp

Thai boxer Chatchai Butdee, right, lands a punch on North Korea's Jo Hyo-Nam.

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