Rayong: Wanheng Menayothin is hoping to extend his unbeaten run to 47 bouts when he defends his WBC minimumweight title against Tanzania's Omari Kimweri today.
The 31-year-old Thai weighed in at 105 pounds and the challenger made it at 104 yesterday ahead of today's championship fight which will be televised live on Channel 7 from 4pm.
The title-holder, known in Thailand as Wanheng Kaiyanghadaogym (Five-Star Grilled Chicken Gym), said he was under no pressure.
"I don't feel any pressure. I am confident that I will retain the title," said the Maha Sarakham boxer who is dubbed the 'Little Giant' by the Thai press.
But his promoter Piyarat Wachirarattanawong warned his boxer not to underestimate Kimweri, saying: "He must not be careless. However, I believe Wanheng is good enough to retain the title."
Wanheng has won all of his 46 fights and is just three wins away from matching the record of 49 consecutive victories set former champions Rocky Marciano and Floyd Mayweather.
Wanheng is one of Thailand's only three world boxing champions at the moment along with WBA minimumweight title-holder Knockout CP Freshmart and WBC super-flyweight king Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
Although Kimweri is 34 years old, he has much less boxing experience than Wanheng as he has fought only 19 times with 16 wins and three losses.
Stevenson v Fonfara
In Montreal, Adonis Stevenson said he'll be going for a knockout when he defends his WBC light-heavyweight title against Andrzej Fonfara today.
After all, as the late, great trainer Emanuel Steward told him: "Knockouts sell."
"When I get in the ring I'm going for a knockout," Stevenson said. "It's not an option for me to go 12 rounds... if it goes 12 rounds he's going to get punishment the whole time. But I definitely am going for the knockout."
The fight at Montreal's Bell Centre will be a rematch of their action-packed meeting in 2014, when Fonfara sent Stevenson to the canvas but was knocked down twice himself as Stevenson won by scores of 115-110, 115-110 and 116-109.
That decision marks one of just two times in the last 10 years that Stevenson has gone the distance. He beat Sakio Bika by unanimous decision in April of 2015.
The 39-year-old champion, who boasts a record of 28-1 with 23 knockouts, stopped Thomas Williams in the fourth round in his most recent title defense, on July 29 of last year.
Fonfara, 29, brings a record of 29-4 with 17 knockouts to the bout.
Now living in Chicago, the Polish-born challenger says his move to respected trainer Virgil Hunter is paying dividends.
"I'm a much smarter fighter now," Fonfara said. "Mentally, I'm much stronger and smarter. Virgil has taught me a lot of new stuff... Now I'm ready to show everything in this fight." bangkok post/afp