Sports
Thailand’s Pongsaklek Wonjongkam Retains the WBC Flyweight Title
Pongsaklet Kaiyanghadaogym lands a right on Edgar Sosa’s chin.
The encounter against the ‘interim’ champion had been regarded by many pundits as one of the toughest fights of the Thai’s career but it turned out to be an easy one.
The champion, also known as Pongsaklek Wonjongkam or Kratingdaenggym, won 116-111, 117-111 and 117-111.
WBC flyweight king Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (83-3-1, 45 KOs)
Former light-flyweight champion Sosa, who had predicted that he would knock out the Thai in the ninth round, went on the attack from the start but rarely caused trouble his opponent who demonstrated his skills with his accurate jabs.
Although Pongsaklek was punished with a point deduction for a head butt in the ninth round, he cruised to a comfortable win. Replays showed it was an accident and not an intentional move.
“It was one of his best fights. He worked hard for the fight and deserved the win,” said Pongsaklek’s manager Piyarat Wachairarattanawongse.
“I have to give credit to all concerned parties for a good job.”
Pongsaklek, 33, is now being trained by former world champion Chatchai Sasakul.
“Our strategy was good and Pongsaklek’s jabs effectively kept Sosa at bay,” he said.
With the win, Pongsaklek’s record is now 83-3-1 while the 32-year-old Mexican drops to 43-7-0.
It was two-time champion Pongsaklek’s third title defence after wining back the belt from Koki Kameda in Japan last March.
He won the title for the first time in March 2001 before losing to Japan’s Naito Daisuke in 2007.
Piyarat added that he plans for Pongsaklek to make his next title defence on Dec 24 against a yet-to-be-known opponent.
Pornsawan v Yaegashi
In Tokyo, WBA minimumweight champion Pornsawan Por Pramook said he would knock out Japanese challenger Akira Yaegashi when they meet at Korakuen Hall on Monday.
It will be his first title defence after he won the belt from Indonesia’s Muhammad Rachman in July.
“I am the lead actor and Yaegashi only has a supporting role in this fight,” the Thai champion told Japanese reporters yesterday.
“I have come here to knock him out. I hope he won’t just try to run away from me.”
Asked why he is dubbed the “Terminator”, Pornsawan claimed he looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger in that movie and often wears sunglasses like the Terminator does.
