PUNCH Lines
JULIAN TURNER
Oledong Sithsamerchai reinforced his position as Thailand's best boxer - literally and stylistically - last week with a wide points win over Pornsawan Por Pramook but the WBC strawweight champion has been given a difficult mandatory challenger who may push him to the limit.
 |
| Oledong |
Oledong had little trouble handling tough Pornsawan in Phitsanulok in an all-Thai clash and won by a wide margin after 12 absorbing rounds.
That wasn't really a surprise as the pair had sparred previously so knew each other well.
Oledong used his quality footwork to keep the well-muscled, but limited, challenger from setting himself throughout.
Pornsawan knew the champion couldn't hurt him and simply bulled forward, while Oledong was content to rack up the rounds, accepting that he was unable to stop his rival.
It was a decent enough fight but a long way from the magic created by the domestic super-bantamweight clash between Napapol Kiatisakchokchai and Saenghiran Lookbanyai last year.
While Napapol and Saenghiran were equally matched, Oledong is simply far too good for his domestic rivals.
His intelligent style means he is able to dance rings around flat-footed fighters and his main adversaries are overseas.
The WBC have pushed for one of these fights to be made with the announcement that "interim" champion Juan Palacios, of Nicaragua, has been made Oledong's mandatory challenger.
The pair should meet next year, although Oledong is likely to have one or two voluntary defences before the details are thrashed out.
I previously criticised the WBC for allowing Palacios to hold a farcical "interim" belt while Oledong was active with the genuine title so it is good to see that the organisation has moved to clear up the situation.
Juan beat Japan's Teruo Misawa at the WBC convention in China on November 7 and several spectators told me he looked extremely effective.
Some claimed he may be too good for Oledong but I'm not sure about that.
Oledong is only 23 years old but has won 29 fights (12 early) without defeat while Palacios is five years older and has a 25-2 tally with 20 knockout wins.
Clearly the Nicaraguan is a bigger puncher but Oledong has a good chin.
Pornsawan has an almost identical stoppage rate to Juan but he couldn't dent Oledong, who moves so well he rarely takes a punch flush to the face.
Hopefully Oledong's team can make the fight happen in Thailand, because it really would be one to put on the calendar in 2009.
The WBC also gave Thai flyweight Panomroonglek Kratingdaengym a great opportunity by ordering champion Daisuke Naito to fight him next year.
There was talk of the pair meeting on December 23 in Tokyo but Naito opted for an easier assignment against compatriot Shingo Yamaguchi.
If Naito wins that - and he is a big favourite - then Panomroonglek is next.
Although many fight fans are looking forward to Oscar de la Hoya v Manny Pacquiao on Sunday morning, Thai super-flyweight Devid Lookmahanak takes part in a well-matched WBC super-flyweight eliminator in South Africa tomorrow night against Evans Mbamba.
That fight will be shown at midnight on Friday on Channel 3, while Pacquiao's crazy mission is on TrueVisions 109 on Sunday morning from 9am.
Devid performed superbly against Jorge Arce in front of 18,000 fans in a Mexican bull ring in May, so I doubt he will be worried by boxing in South Africa.
The winner gets the mandatory spot to face Vic Darchinyan so the Thai has plenty of incentive to do well.
I can remember seeing how excited Devid was when footage of his fight with Arce was shown at a WBC function in Bangkok in October.
That performance clearly meant a lot to him and, although he lost a controversial decision, the experience may help him beat Mbamba tomorrow.
As for the big fight in Vegas, my head says De la Hoya wins early but my heart wants Pacquiao to make history with an incredible victory. Let's face it, stranger things have happened in a boxing ring.
Julian Turner is the Bangkok Post's Deputy Sports Editor.
Email: juliant@bangkokpost.co.th
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
Next