‘Busiest woman in combat sports’ beats Tai Emery at BKFC Thailand 4
Multi-talented martial artist Po Denman scored the biggest win of her versatile career as she outscored highly regarded Australian Tai Emery in the chief support at BKFC Thailand 4.
Denman has most notably compiled a superb 17-1-1 record in pro boxing, in addition to undefeated streaks in kickboxing and leth wei, but this was her big-time debut, high up the bill in front of an international audience and under the dazzling lights of one of the world’s fastest-growing fight promotions.
The 25-year-old Thai flyweight rose to the occasion inside Bangkok’s Space Plus arena, pitching a unanimous decision victory after a hard-fought contest which saw her accurate counter-punching earn the judges’ approval over Emery’s consistent aggression.
Opinion was divided at ringside as to who might be crowned victor, but ultimately the three judges went the way of Po – real name Chisakan Ariphipat – by scores of 49-47, 48-47, 48-47.
Likely she was rewarded for a strategy based on smart, backfoot boxing and precision counter-punching, not to mention a slippery defence that left her unmarked even after 10 intense minutes of ungloved combat.
By contrast, Emery finished with a jagged split on her inside right eyebrow, which had spilled claret since the third round when it was opened up by a Denman jab.
While this was Po’s promotional debut for BKFC, she had two prior bareknuckle victories – one for Bare Knuckle Kingdom in 2021 and, notoriously, one over a male opponent in an unlicensed intergender contest earlier this year.
These, combined with her forays into leth wei, muay Thai and kickboxing and nearly 20 pro bouts in conventional boxing, show how she’s earned her reputation as the “busiest woman in combat sports”.
Big win creates options for multi-sport prospect
Po’s ambitions lay primarily in boxing, but her goal is to fight in any format at least once a month, to increase her visibility and create as many career options as possible.
She will also have benefitted by association with Emery, who while first and foremost should be remembered and regarded as a formidable athlete, inevitably grabbed headlines with her post-fight celebrations when winning her debut at BKFC Thailand 3.
Let’s just say she went from bare knuckles to bare chest…
Some fans will have tuned in to this bout in the expectation of a repeat performance, but while a Denman victory curtailed this prospect, it also mean more eyes were trained on the continuing emergence of a fine fighting talent.
Tetee adds to Denman Camp celebrations
Earlier in the show, another Denman also came through the toughest test of a promising young career.
Tetee Denman – undefeated across multiple sports, including 16 pro boxing matches – similarly made his BKFC debut and saw his more educated form overcome an aggressive challenge.
Tetee – real name Watcharin Saebe (“Denman” referring to the name of their management team) – claimed a 49-45, 48-46, 49-46 victory over leth wei veteran Saw Htoo Aung of Burma.
The margin of victory was augmented by a one-point deduction from Saw Htoo Aung for a headbutt and, just as was the case with Po, the victor, 23, finished essentially undamaged, while his opponent sported a slash to his left eyebrow.
- The full BKFC Thailand 4 broadcast is available at Bare Knuckle TV with a $5 monthly pass.
Congratulations Po. From your biggest fans in Belgium.