Hosts face tough test for repeat
[BOXING] Thailand's boxing squad face a much more competitive field at this year's King's Cup tournament where a clutch of top-class fighters from 31 countries stand their way to retain the overall title.
The amateur competition gets underway today at The Mall's Ngamwongwan branch. In previous years, the Thai team barely encountered any resistance and winning the overall title was a cakewalk for them. However, things promise to be different this time around with the presence of formidable boxers from central Asian countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. With Olympic gold medallist Bakhtiyar Artayev, and the Doha Asian Games champion Bakhyt Sarsekbayev in their ranks, Kazakhstan are the most intimidating hurdle for the Thai team to defend the overall crown. Artayev tore up the form book to clinch a gold medal in the 69kg welterweight class after splendidly outslugging Lorenzo Aragon Armenteros of Cuba at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He moved up to the 75kg division and proved equally adept, only to suffer an upset loss to Uzbekistan's Elshod Rasulov in the Asian Games final. Not many would have forgotten Sarsekbayev, the man who dashed wushu exponent-turned-boxer Anghan Chomphuphuang's hopes of winning glory in the welterweight class in Doha. Sarsekbayev returns to haunt the local fans. The Thai team also has to keep a close eye on China whose boxers have improved vastly and have the potential to upstage the hosts. The Chinese assault is led by Zou Shiming, the reigning Asian Games champion, who also won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics. China also have another medal prospect in flyweight Yang Bo who showed his talent in Doha by reaching the semi-finals. Thailand's chances have been diminished by the withdrawals of Suban and Worapoj Petchkoom. Thailand are fielding two teams in the event. The A squad, which is being prepared for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is spearheaded by Manus Boonjumnong, who won the only gold in the last Asiad. Knowing how tough the contest would be this year, Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand president General Taweep Jantararoj seemed to be realistic of Thailand's chances, eyeing only three gold medals in the competition - from Athens light-welterweight champion Manus, veteran Somjit Jongjohor, and 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Suriya Prasarthinpimai.
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