Muaythai manager and promoter Chucharoen Rawee-aramwong says he is willing to take in any fighters from his long-time rival and friend Songchai Ratanasuban to his Daorung Chucharoen event on January 7.

According to earlier reports, Chucharoen was for years engaged in various high-profile rows against the influential Songchai. However, the two have recently reconciled and Sonchai’s fighters were even included in Chucharoen’s event on December 21.

Chucharoen said the success of his event was due to Songchai’s help and he is planning to visit Songchai soon to discuss possibility of similar cooperation in the next event.

Thailand’s 10-year-old Boxing Sport Act has been practically ignored by all involved parties, but the authority’s recent announcement that it will push for enforcement may help the trouble-ridden muaythai sport in Thailand, says columnist Korn Kritsada.

According to the Muay Tu newspaper sportswriter, the so-called boxing law has made no change whatsoever since its enactment 10 years ago as the authority rarely exacted punishment for those found to have violated the law, regardless of severity of the violation.

He said the Boxing Commission officials who daily preside over muaythai weigh-in and bouts had always chosen to “compromise” when they found fighters, managers or promoters breaking the law.

Asian Games silver medalist boxer Angkhan Chomphuphuang has made a triumphant return to his former career as muaythai fighter, beating German Cagri Ermis by a knockout in the second round.

The match in Germany on December 13 was the first muaythai bout after a long absence for former champion Angkhan, known in the muaythai ring as Pajunsuk SKV Gym, who spent his past three years on amateur boxing, participating at the recent Asian Games and Olympics Games, although he won a medal only from the former event.

Muaythai manager and promoter Chucharoen Rawee-aramwong says he will support his long-time rival and friend Songchai Ratanasuban to lead the industry, while hoping that their renewed relationship would “last longer than the previous ones”.

Chucharoen was until recently engaged in various high-profile rows against the influential Songchai. However, the two currently seem to be on terms with each other and even seen partying together last week.

Chucharoen said the festive atmosphere, including corporation in their Daorung Chucharoen and Onesongchai matches, should be “a relationship that would last longer than the previous ones”.

Muaythai fighters outside of Thailand are getting stronger each day and Thai fighters can no longer dominate international events as easily as they used to, said Muay Siam newspaper editorial.

The newspaper recalled the old saying that “Thai fighters are number one”, which it believed was true a couple of decades ago when capable non-Thai fighters were few and Thai veterans only began to travel overseas to fight or teach abroad.

Back then, said the writer, Thai fighters often enjoyed the one-side slaughtering regardless of who their opponents were. However, in the recent decade the Thais have loosen their grip on the top position and many other fighters, especially those from Europe, are moving up the ranks fast.

The weekly televised Onesongchai muaythai series on Channel 11 will likely be discontinued due to the disagreement of promoter Songchai Ratanasuban and the television stadium executives.

Channel 11 has been cancelling the broadcast of Onesongchai events in favor of coverage on the ongoing SEA Games in Laos. However, when the multisport event ends on December 18, it is unlikely that the muaythai series will return even if the stadium is offering to renew the contract.

Promoter Songchai is reportedly upset by the frequent cancellation of his program, while disagreeing with the stadium’s new policy to sign contracts only for individual events, not the whole series.

From a controversial fighter booed by the spectators to an international muaythai star, the life of fighter Saiyok Pumphanmuang is of quick rises and falls, very much like that seen in soap operas, said Muay Siam newspaper.

Known in the muaythai sport as Saiyoknoi Sakchainarong during his early years in the career, the fighter rose to fame with three champion titles including one from the prestigious Ratchadamnern Stadium. Considered to be one of the most promising fighters in the heavier weight, Saiyok, however, fell from grace quickly and lost his belts to Singmanee Sor Srisompong in a match that seen by the muaythai fans as fraud.

Thai Muaythai fighter Kaimukdam Sit O will fight in a professional boxing match against Puengluang Sor Singyu, amidst the lingering tension between his new manager Chucharoen Rawee-aramwong and the influential promoter Songchai Ratanasuban.

According to the earlier reports, Kaimukdam agreed to fight under Chucharoen as long as he is allowed to stay in his hometown in Buri Ram and continue to fight in the events hosted by Songchai, who is a long-time rival of Chucharoen.

So far Songchai has kept Kaimukdam busy with various muaythai matches including the planned boxing bout, reported Muay Siam newspaper, adding that Kaimukdam, who had only amateur experience in boxing, will likely have a tough time fighting veteran boxer Puengluang.

Top Thai muaythai fighters from Thailand and the Netherlands have equally performed well at the action-packed bouts at the muaythai event SLAMM 6 last week, with each of team ending up with two wins and two losses.

In the first Thai vs. Dutch bout at the Amsterdam event, Saiyok Pumphanmuang was on the defense right from the beginning when 2008 European K-1 champion Warren Stevelmans started the first round aggressively.

Saiyok, however, tried to push back from the second round onward, resulting in a relentless fight with both men exhibiting numerous exciting muaythai moves. Both fighters seem to lose their stream in the fourth and fifth rounds, and the bout ended with Saiyok as the winner by decision.

In the second match, Thaland’s Anuwat Kaewsamrit took a number of hits from the larger Mo Khamal in the first round, but seemed to be able to gain some control of the game in the second round. The Thai was enjoying his best moment in the third round when Khamal took punches to the midsection.

The new WBC flyweight champion Koki Kameda must face Thai “interim” title holder Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in a mandatory bout in early 2010, says Pongsaklek’s promoter.

Petchyindee Boxing Promotion’s promoter Wirat Wachiraratanawong said the WBC has ordered a mandatory fight between Thailand’s Pongsaklek and the holder of the WBC title, recently claimed by Kameda after beating fellow Japanese boxer Naito Daisuke by unanimous decision on November 29.

Wirat said the bout would be held in Japan in about March next year.