Boxer Tangthong Kiettaweesuk will defend his IBF Pan-Pacific bantamweight champion from Filipino challenger Jonel Alivio in the match on July 25 in Bangkok. 

International Boxing Federation (IBF) representative of Thailand Sompong Atchanukroh said he was proud that Tangthong Kiettaweesuk, a fellow resident of Trad province, would have a chance to gain fame for the country and home province.

Tangthong, alternatively known as Chaichana Dettawee, is a former muaythai champion as well as a national athlete for international boxing. Soon after switching from muaythai to boxing, he became an IBF Pan-Pacific bantamweight champion and is a prospect for the world title.

Sompong said he would cheer for Tangthong in his fight against Filipino challenger Jonel Alivio in the match on July 25 at the make-shift stadium at the Bazaar Shopping Park Ramindra in Bangkok.

Former WBC champion Chatchai Sasakul will challenge super flyweight champion Mexican Christain Mijares for the double WBC-IBF titles in a Mexico match on September 30.

Mijares, 26, currently a champion of both the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF), has chosen Thai boxer Chatchai, 38, as his next opponent for the match in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico on September 30.

The match may be Chatchai’s last chance to reclaim his glory as he will soon be too old to box.

“When I heard the news from my manager Wirat Wachirarattanawong, I started my training at Petyindee Camp right away,” said Chatchai.

PABA flyweight champion Rattanapol Korkietgym successfully defeated his title from Chinese challenger Fang Shuai, while Usanakorn Tawinsuwanwang beat Dong Zia Jua in round 6, winning the vacant PABA female super flyweight title.

The WBA-PABA boxing event at a make-shift stadium in front of the City Hall of Patthalung on July 16 had a large turn out of spectators who flocked to watch the star match of fan’s favorite Rattanapol vs. Fang Shuai of China.

The match started with Rattanapol aggressively pressured Fang with his punches. Fang responded by moving around but was eventually cornered and struck in the head by the left punch of the Thai fighter. Although Fang was initially able to get up when the referee counted to eight, he was soon punched in the torso and fell again. Rattanopol won the match in the first round, successfully defending his PABA flyweight title.

Rattanapol was immediately scheduled for a match with a WBA boxer in Chumporn on August 16. His manager, Kokiet Panitchayarom, said he wanted the fighter to become the top challenger within this year.

Japanese female boxer Naomi Togashi defeated Korean Jin Kim on July 13, winning the WBC light flyweight title and becoming a potential match of Thai Samson Sor Siriporn.

Togashi, 32, a midwife nurse from Japan, has been officially endorsed as a world female champion by the Japan Boxing Council (JBC) after defeating Jin Kim of Korea, who was ranked sixth for the minimum weight class. Togashi, who has no ranking, nearly knocked out Kim several times and eventually won by scores.

Famed Thai female champion Samson Sor Siripon, who is likely to be the next opponent of Togashi, is studying the fights of the Japanese fighter. Samson’s manager said Togashi was considered an aggressive fighter, “thrice stronger” than Kayako Ibata, who was ealier defeated by Samson in Phanom Penh.

Togashi’s manager said he would arrange the match of Togashi and Samson as soon as possible.

Togashi has previously knocked out two Thai fighters, Petprakarn Tor Nantana in the first round and Panda Or Yutthachai in the third round.

The Japanese nurse is a fighter of Watanabe Boxing Gym of Hitoshi Watanabe.