Boxing News Boxing News
Bad day at the office for two local fighters at Tokyo’s Ariaka Colosseum as visiting boxers from Thailand swept two all-southpaw world title clashes by very close margins.
Former WBC flyweight supremo Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, who held the title from 2001-2007 until he was defeated after 17 defenses, recaptured his belt with a vintage performance.
The 32 year old from Nakhon Ratchasima turned back the clock to outbox reigning champion Koki Kameda of Tokyo with a masterful display of experience and savvy.
But Wonjongkam had to survive the champion’s middle round surge as the 23 year old Kameda tried to take control of the bout, an attempt which was ultimately stifled by the Thai’s excellent defense.
Wonjongkam regains the WBC title by majority decision 116-112, 115-112 and 114-114, improving to 75-3-1 (39), while Kameda suffers defeat for the first time in his career to fall to 22-1 (14).
An upset nearly occurred during the other world title bout on the bill as Bangkok’s reigning WBC minimumweight beltholder Oleydong Sithsamerchai, 34-0 (12), came very close to having his undefeated record blemished.
Sithsamerchai was well on the way to schooling OPBF minimumweight boss Yasutaka Kuroki, 23-4-1 (15), until he started to fade in the later frames and was punished by the Tsuchiura based challenger.
Sithsamerchai had to climb off the floor in the 11th frame and was nearly stopped in the final round, managing to hold on to a narrow 114-112, 114-113 and 113-112 unanimous decision victory.
