Thai Boxing Champion Set To Invade Britain

Promoter Kevin Houston makes his return to boxing on December 5th when he puts on the ‘King’s Cup’ a spectacular dinner show at the Ricoh Arena, home of Coventry City football club to celebrate the King of Thailand’s birthday.

The two-hundred table show will feature the former WBA super-bantamweight champion Yoddamrong Sithyodthong challenging for the vacant WBF super-featherweight belt against the Coventry based South African Harry Ramogoadi.

Sithyodthong is the first Thai to box in Britain since the all-time great Sot Chitalada fought Charlie Magri back in 1985 at the Alexandra Palace and if he wins the title he will be back in Britain again to defend in 2007.

Coming to Britain with a stellar 45-5-1 (20) record, Sithyodthong has won regularly on the notoriously tough Thai circuit. Indeed, the bamboo tough Thai had over 70 professional Muay-Thai bouts before he was 16 years old.

Yoddamrong, real name Damrong Kongsuk,has been a fighter all of his life, still only 25, Yoddamrong wants to add another world title to his collection. He won the WBA strap in 2002 with a clear point’s win over the respected Yober Ortega. He has also defeated world class Ratanachai Sor Vorapin and Jesse Macca. These wins indicate this man is a force to be reckoned with.

Now he train’s in the “Sithyodthong International camp” which is the same camp as Yodsanan 3K Battery, Prawet Kratingdaenggym, and Saddam Kietyongyuth.

The 30-year old Ramogoadi hasn’t fought since he destroyed former Commonwealth Games Gold medal winner Jamie Arthur in July 2005. Not known as a one-punch banger Harry has scored both of his stoppages since he came to England and hopes he can put the tough Thai to sleep. His record, 15-5-2 (2), is littered with wins over tough, talented fighters and wins over the aforementioned Jamie Arthur, Danny Wallace, Stephen Oates and Ariel Mathebula add credence to those claims. He also scored a super draw with world-class Thomas Mashaba, an IBO champion.

Also on the bill is another local lad, Roy Rutherford, who takes on the explosive Action Jackson Asiku for Asiku’s Commonwealth title. Asiku is looking for a hat-trick of first round wins against British opposition and Rutherford knows he has a mountain to climb if he wants to capture the Commonwealth crown. A former English and British champion Rutherford knows this is his last bite of the cherry and will be training harder than ever. He’ll want to be the first Englishman to survive the first round against Asiku, but more importantly he’ll want to win.

Asiku, an all action featherweight with dynamite in each hand won the vacant Commonwealth crown, coming in at short notice, with a first-round stoppage over English champion Marc Callaghan. Callaghan, who had drawn with European champion Michael Hunter in the past, was never in the fight and several hard blows has the Englishman tottering before Jackson ruthlessly finished the job with one second left in the opener.

Many claimed that is was a fluke result against a smaller man. However, he would follow that win up with an even better one in Liverpool. The 27-year old, who has won WBO international, Australian and African titles before winning the Commonwealth strap, destroyed former British featherweight champion Jamie McKeever in 155 seconds in June and had many claiming this African was the best fighter to hit our shores since Azumah Nelson. Some praise indeed.

Now it’s onto defence three against another respected former champion. What price on another opening round win?

A 20-3 (11) record has seen him mix with some top level operators – Nedal Hussein, current IBF world champion Gary St. Clair and Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym, all world class – even though he lost to all those men, he pushed them close. He has also knocked out respected men like Frankie De Milo, Paul Griffin and Moses Seran.

Rob Norton could also feature on the show in a Commonwealth title eliminator but at the time of writing nothing has been confirmed.

Houston wants to make this one a bit special and as well as a three course dinner (Thai or English),there will also be Rod Stewart and Tom Jones tribute acts as he tries to get away from the traditional all male dinner shows.

Houston will be holding a press conference on Friday 20th October, 10am, at the venue to publicise the fights.