FILIPINO RONALD PONTILLAS BATTLES MUAY THAI WORLD CHAMP JOMTHONG CHUWATANA FOR WBC OPBF TITLE TODAY IN BANGKOK
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 08 Feb 2013
Muay Thai legend VS tough Filipino Boxer. Who will prevail?
Fans will find out as reigning WBC Muay Thai Lightweight (135 lbs - 61.24 Kgs) world champion Jomthong Chuwatana of Thailand, who also fights in boxing, risks his world ranking and WBC OPBF super featherweight crown from the fearless fists of Filipino boxer Ronald Pontillas today (Feb 8) in Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand.
With at total of 227 muay thai combats, muay thai world titles in three different weight classes and widely recognized as one of the pound-for-pound greatest muay thai's warriors in the planet, Jomthong Chuwatana aims at becoming the first man in history to reign a Muay Thai world champion and boxing world champion at the same time.
Standing on his way is resolute Filipino Ronald Pontillas (15-4-3, 7KO's), a man with dreams of his own.
Will the reigning WBC Muay Thai world champion, fighting without his destructive kicks, be able to dominate boxer Ronald Pontillas?
Ronald Pontillas, who has won three of his most important fights in Japan, is accompanied in his toughest fight in Thailand by his manager Rommel Nazario and trainer Gerry Garcia.
During the weigh-in in Bangkok, Jomthong Chuwatana, now the current WBC #14 super featherweight, scaled-in 130 lbs (58.97 kgs), while challenger Pontillas, born in Las Pi?as, Metro Manila, tipped the scale at 128.5 lbs (58.27 kgs) ahead of their awaited exchanged of knuckles to be broadcast live throughout the Kingdom.
"Yes, he is muay thai world champion, but the fight is in boxing. He will not be able to throw those terrible kicks. Fifty percent of his normal way of attack is gone. Chuwatana might be like a fish out of the water when Pontillas dish out effective jabs and boxing moves. Pontillas has more boxing fights than Chuwatana. In boxing experience counts. Plus, Pontillas has won against difficult guys in Japan. I don't see why he could not win in Thailand and Pontillas is not afraid. The way I see it, the fight will very tough for both fighters," said the fight's matchmaker Brico Santig.
Veteran Thai promoter Naris Singwancha is the producer of the Chuwatana-Megrino WBC OPBF featherweight title in Thailand to be broadcast live throughout the Kingdom.
VIDEO: Watch highlights of 23-year-old Jomthong Chuwatan in this youtube fight video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=87Hq7A-K79Y
CO-MAIN EVENT: SOD KOKIETGYM VS RANDY MEGRINO FOR WBA PABA SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE
In the co-main event, former world title challenger Sod Kokietgym of Thailand will clash with unheralded Filipino Randy Megrino of Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, for the WBA PABA super bantamweight belt.
The fight is the golden opportunity for the 24-year-old Randy Megrino (12-12-2, 7KO's) to get into the super bantamweight world rankings as his opponent, 35-year-old Sod Kokietgym (60-2-1, 28KO's) is currently rated as WBA # 11, WBC # 6 and WBO #6.
The super champion in this super bantamweight division is 30-year-old Filipino sensation and of the the standout fighters of 2012 Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20KO's).
Both, Sod Kokietgym and Randy Megrino, weighted-in 122 lbs (55.34 kgs) during the official weight-in ceremony.
The promoter for the Sod Kokietgym vs Randy Megrino WBA PABA fight is Thai boxing man Kokiet Panichayarom, one of the main boxing promoters in Thailand and chairman of the board of Thailand's Kokiet Group.
Matchmaker for both title fight is Filipino Brico Santig of Highland Boxing of Baguio, last year's WBC Asian ABCO promoter of the year.
Photo (L to R): Filipino Randy Megrino, Thai Sod Kokietgym, Promoter Naris Singwancha, Filipino Ronald Pontillas and Thai OPBF Champ Chumtong Chuwattawa Singwancha.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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