THAILAND DOMINATES KING?S CUP
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 10 Apr 2010
Host nation Thailand as expected dominated the 32nd King?s Cup tournament in Bangkok with the finals taking place on April 7.
Thailand entered six weight divisions and won all.
Flyweight Amnat Ruenroeng of the Thai ?A? team boxed beautifully to win by a 6-1 margin over Russia?s Stephanov Seamen. Amnat was adjudged the ?Best Boxer? in the tournament.
A report by Piyasak, editor of Wissawa said the other gold medal winners were light flyweight Kaeo Pongprayoon who won by Referee Stopped Contest in the second round over Weerapon Yodwichai of Thai ?B?, bantamweight Chatchai Butdee who defeated Donchai Tathi of Thai ?B? by a 3-0 margin? lightweight Sailom Adi who also won by RSC in round two over Aphichart Koonsi of Thai ?B?, light welterweight Aphichet Seansit of Thai ?A? who overcame Somsak Armar of Qatar by a 5-2 score.
One of the highly anticipated bouts was the clash between 2004 Athens Olympic silver medalist Worapot Petchkum who returned to the sport after a two year break to study for his masters degree and rising 19 year old prospect Wuthichai Masuk a regional title winner in 2009.
Worapot proved far too experience for the young Masuk and blanked him to win 5-0. With the victory the former Olympian regained his place on the national ?A? team.
With a near sweep of the finals, Thailand won the King?s Cup for the ninth successive time and the 17th time since the tournament began.
At the end of the competition police general Taweep who is president of the Thai Amateur Boxing Association indicated he was quite concerned because this year?s Asian Games will be held in China which has many skillful boxers.
However, Gen. Taweep indicated the Thai boxers will continue to compete in national and international tournaments leading to the Asian Games. He also made it clear that 2004 Olympic gold medalist and 2008 silver medalist Manut Boonjamnong will have to train hard if he plans to return to the Thai boxing team.
Three young and comparatively inexperienced Filipino boxers competed in the tournament and were eliminated. Light flyweight Crisanto Godaren and flyweight Victorio Saludar suffered contrasting defeats against their opponents from perennial rivals Thailand?s "A" team in the semifinals.
Godaren lost to Thai Kaew Phongprayun by referee-stopped contest after he was the victim of a heavy-handed low blow in the last minute of the third round and failed to beat the count of the Hungarian referee who simply refused to concede that the punch was a low blow.
??It was very clear that a low blow hit our boxer, but the Hungarian ref saw it otherwise,?? said head of delegation and Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines Vice President Manny Lopez. Kaoe is the same boxer who beat Harry Tanamor in the last Sea Games in Vientianne, Laos.
Saludar on the other hand gamely fought veteran Thai Amnat Ruengroeng and finished the bout, 3-3.
Saludar, however, lost 10-11 following the count-back. Amnat was a quarterfinalist in the Milan World Championships and Beijing Olympics and named the ?Best Boxer? in the King?s Cup. The third Filipino boxer was Jhergigs Chavez who lost a heartbreaking 3-4 decision to a much taller Jo-min Jae of Korea and failed to enter the medal round.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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