Rising talent crushes veteran on a night when new stars shine
Two rounds was all it took for Hebi Marupu to send Wisanu Kokietgym to the canvas three times and end their highly anticipated double-title boxing showdown in central Bangkok.
The Indonesian, defending his WBC Asia lightweight belt and co-challenging for vacant IBA Intercontinental honours, arrived with a burgeoning reputation but expecting his toughest test to date against a Thai fan favourite who had swapped leather with the greats .
But in the event, youth trumped experience as Marupu thrice thumped Wisanu to the canvas, each time courtesy of concussive, looping right hands.
It’s fair to say Wisanu, at 39, perhaps did not have the same enthusiasm as in years past, but he was on a winning run of four since launching a comeback last year, and in a long career that has taken him as far as a world title challenge and into rings with the likes of Kazuto Ioka, Rey Loreto, Z Gorres and Duangpetch Kokietgym, he had never been beaten as quickly as that.
It was, in fact, only the 10th time Wisanu had tasted defeat in a 59-fight ledger dating all the way back to 2001, and appeared to be a classic changing of the guard.
Marupu is now 18-1-1, with an impressive 13 knockout wins, and is very much a man on the up.
Now with two regional championships to his name, and four of his past five bouts coming in different countries, he could be verging on international stardom.
Jet powers to victory over brave young opponent
Another champion from Indonesia was victorious in the chief support.
Jon Jon Jet, who holds the WBC Asia belt at super-bantamweight, was in non-title action over eight rounds, but needed less than half the alloted distance to repel a brave effort by local teenager Songchai Songklod.
In taking this challenge at just 16, Songchai showed admirable ambition, but it always looked a tall order against such seasoned and talented opposition.
He gave it his best effort, but had the fight knocked out of him by a right uppercut to the body in round three that dropped him. Jet’s follow-up attack concluded matters with a right hand-left hook for a second and final knockdown.
So long as Songchai is not discouraged by this – and he shouldn’t be – it can be nothing but a learning experience for him.
Jet, meanwhile, improves to 13-1-1 (10) and, just like his countryman Marupu, is fast making a reputation for himself as a poweful and exciting contender.
Farouk makes compelling case for title shot
Singapore’s Hamzah Farouk set out his stall for further title opportunities with a striking performance that showcased both his power and versatility.
Well in control throughout with a classic European style of high guard and long, straight punches, in round three he fired a startling seven-blow combination that simultaneously thrilled the crowd and sickened his opponent, Suriyon Jammon of Thailand.
That piece of highlight-reel footage rendered a knockdown, and though Suriyon bravely got up and saw out the round, the finish came just 38 seconds into the next session, courtesy of a classic one-two as the Thai reeled on the ropes.
Super-featherweight Farouk will now be looking to add to his belt collection, having previously held WBC Asia and OPBF Silver straps in a 13-1 (10) career.
International prospects in thrilling triple showcase
Three new pros from The Box, the highly regarded gym which operates out of the same venue that staged this show, added to their unbeaten tallies – although one had to come through a scare to do so.
Opening the show, Walid Halima Salem of Algeria walked carelessly on to a chopping counter in round two from 4-1 Thai Kiattisak Thawisap that put him on the deck and left him playing catch-up at the halfway stage of this four-rounder.
To his utmost credit, super-featherweight Salem shrugged off what could have been a crisis and regained control with aggression, output and superior fitness to pull back the points and secure a wafer-thin 38-37 verdict from all three judges. He is now 3-0 and will only improve thanks to Kiattisak’s “educational” right hand.
Also going to 3-0 was welterweight Oussama Ahmiti, who was absolutely dwarfed in experience terms by Vachayan Khamon, who had 51 boxing bouts to his name as well as countless muay Thai bouts.
But the Moroccan made light of this with a display of composure and power that belied his novice status, keeping the Thai in defence mode with hurtful hooks and uppercuts until a devastating body blow in round two rendered him unable to beat the count.
Finally, in a battle of teenagers, 19-year-old French super-featherweight Giuliano Fantone was dominant over the four-round distance against Wiraphon Ketunarong, who is just 17 but has now had 15 pro fights.
Fantone offered long limbs and plenty of angles and movement as he won all four sessions, including two knockdowns in the third, to score his second pro win by three margins of 40-34.
* What was notable about this show was that it was staged in Bangkok and featured six Thais, but all six Thais lost. The results were fair and the losers all came to win, but anyone who’s followed the Thai scene over the years will know foreign boxers are rarely given any favours. Almost always, they are badly mismatched, and have little alternative if they want to compete without transferring to muay Thai.
The Box, and its amateur event offshoot Thailand Boxing Championship (TBC), have established a model to change this, welcoming all-comers through the gym doors and selecting the best of them for an amateur pathway to the pros which hadn’t previously existed. Three of those graduates (Salem, Ahmiti and Fantone) were in winning action here, thanks to The Box and TBC partnering with professional promoters XBC Sportech.
With a mantra of fair fights and merited opportunities for all, regardless of nationality, this partnership looks set to push western boxing in Thailand on to a new level by investing in new talent and giving fans competitive spectacles. Stay tuned!
LINKS
Fist of Glory event page
Fist of Glory full broadcast
Thailand Boxing Championship company page
BoxRec event page
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