Five Thais move into finals
[AMATEUR BOXING] Thailand is assured of at least one gold medal as Suban Pannon andThiwakorn Arsai came through in the light-flyweight semifinals at the 28th King's Cup Tournament yesterday.
The host nation had 11 local boxers in action in the semifinals yesterday, with five making it to the gold-medal round. Suban came a step closer to fulfilling his dream of winning the gold for his mother - who died of cancer a couple days ago - after beating Ro Sok of North Korea with an RSC (referee stopped contest) decision in the third round with the scores at 26-6. Cheered on by a large partisan crowd Suban came out aggressively throwing some big punches and stinging jabs to overwhelm his opponent. Competing under the Thailand A banner, Suban will now take on fellow countryman Thiwakorn in tomorrow's final. Thiwakorn, who is competing for Thailand B, yesterday showed no mercy as he thrashed Sri Lanka's TMC Tennekoon 42-18. "I want to win the gold for my mother. That's why I have to be in form and beat each opponent in every bout," said Suban. "For the final match, I will do my best, even though I am facing a fellow Thai. Everybody needs victory, but only the stronger one deserves it," he said. Flyweight Somjit Jongjohor, a former world champion and Thailand's lone boxing gold medallist at the Asian Games in Busan four years ago, was the third Thai to advance to the finals. Somjit overwhelmed Kim Dae-sung of South Korean 34-19, while team-mate in the same class, Satjaporn Jamreonsan, lost a close bout 26-27 to Arun Singh of India. In the welterweight category, Angkarn Chomphuphuang beat the Netherlands' Orhan Ozturk 35-16. Defending middleweight champion Suriya Prasathinphimai added the fifth and final victory for the Thai team as the Athens Olympics bronze medallist crushed Cho Deok-jin of South Korea 37-22. Suriya will face Boliguzov Pavelof Russia in the final. In the light-heavyweight classThailand's Jaran Indandon was beaten 43-34 by Mustafa Farah of Syria, while Kreingkrai Sukkum retired from the competition after realising he would not be able to beat Uzbekistan's Haydarov Utkirbek. Lightweights Anuwat Jaritrum and Tan Dansamak also crashed out from the tournament with Anuwat stunned by H Kocabas of the Netherlands with an RSC decision on 26-6 and Tan losing to Kim Joung-won of South Korea 30-19. In the light-welterweight class, Anuwat Samorkhong lost to Korean Shin Myung-chon 18-45. Today is a rest day. A total of 11 matches will take place in tomorrow's finals starting at 3pm. Admission is free.
Montreechai Lumyongsatian The Nation Nonthaburi
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