The Slow Road To The Title

By Scott MallMay 19th, 2006 – Siam Shanghai Shopping Center, Bangkok, Thailand

Former WBA super featherweight champion Yodsanan Sor Nathachai (48-3-1, 37 KOs) pounded out an eight-round, unanimous decision over Filipino fighter Arniel Tinampay (6-3-1, 2 KOs) in Bangkok, Thailand in a bout meant to get Sor Nanthachai some rounds and keep him active. The fight took place in the parking lot of the Siam Shopping Center in front of a crowd of only 200 and illustrated just how far the former champion has fallen after losing his championship to Vicente Mosquera in April of last year.

The former champion moved slowly – very, slowly….painfully so….almost mechanically, methodically wading in, hands high, and occasionally throwing hard rights to the body of the limited Tinampay. Far from his championship form, Sor Nanthachai was content to stand flat-footed the entire bout. In the eighth, Sor Nanthachai had the Filipino on the ropes and in trouble but other than this, the action was slow and the time to the end of the fight even slower.

Once the mighty have fallen it’s a slow road to another championship.

”Yodsanan looked slow today but he did win, which is what is important. Also, he doesn’t feel well and is sick.” said his Thai promoter, Siraphop Ratanasuban.

Sor Nanthachai, formerly known as 3K Battery was originally scheduled to meet Robbie Peden. The bout was cancelled and Sor Nanthachai was rescheduled to fight Manuel Medina however once again, the bout was cancelled. Manuel Medina now faces his replacement, Cassius Baloyi, for the vacant IBF and IBO Super Featherweight title.

Sor Nanthachai is no longer able to make the 130 lb. limit which is why his previously scheduled bouts were cancelled. The “Thai Tyson” has elected to skip right past the135 lb. division and fight as a super lightweight.

”We’re looking to get Yodsanan a shot for the vacant WBA super lightweight title,” said Ratanasuban.

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In the co-main event, WBC #12 ranked featherweight Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo improved to 15-0 (7) when he won a twelve-round decision over 50-fight veteran Jaime Barcelona of the Philippines. The victory was Piriyapinyo’s tenth successful defense of the Asian Boxing Council featherweight championship.

Piriyapinyo got the better of the crafty veteran, using a stiff jab to set up his combinations. Barcelona forced the Thai to work to win the rounds but had little power to keep him off and took a defensive posture throughout the bout.
In the ninth round Piriyapinyo knocked the gum shield out of Barcelona’s mouth, sending it flying out of the ring and providing the most excitement of the bout. Referee Chainat Hanwiset called a halt to the action to look for the mouthpiece, which was nowhere to be found. It took a few of the photographers at ringside several minutes to find the accessory, which had somehow made its way under the ring.

The action resumed and Barcelona let his combinations fly, doing enough to steal the round. The Thai fighter slowed his pace in round ten and Barcelona, with newfound confidence, let his hands go and went after Piriyapinyo in an effort to steal the last few rounds.

Piriyapinyo faded down the stretch but had done enough to secure a unanimous decision. Judges scores: 117-111, 117-111, 116-112

In recent bouts the Thai fighter has taken far too much punishment and faded in the later rounds. He’ll need to work on his defense and increase his stamina if he’s to have any shot of winning a title.

Noppdech Singnakornluang won a six-round, unanimous decision over Jesus Muzaka of the Congo. Muzaka seemed more concerned with entertaining the crowd than fighting

Female fighter Nongnoon Sithjadaeng made quick work of Petmongkut Sithjadech, knocking her down and out at 1:08 of the opening stanza.

In a second bout involving female fighters, O-A Sithkaerai won a unanimous decision over a fighter known only as “Jubjaeng” in a four round bout.

Promoter: Onesongchai Boxing Promotion.

On the undercard of Barerra – Juarez

Late replacement Jose Armando Santa Cruz (23-1,13 KOs) battered an outgunned Chikashi Inada (19-3, 14 KOs) for five rounds, forcing referee Jack Reiss to stop the bout at 2:08 of round six. With the victory, Santa Cruz picks up the WBC interim lightweight championship. The fighter from Michoacan, Mexico had filled in for Sirimongkol Singwancha who tested positive for hepatitis B earlier this month. Singwancha and Santa Cruz are tentatively scheduled to meet to determine who will face the winner of the Jose Luis Castillo – Diego Corrales bout.

Rey "Boom-Boom" Bautista (19-0, 14 KOs) showed experience far beyond his youth (19 years-old) when he calmly broke down Robert Bonilla before finally stopping him at 2:36 of round three. Bautista fights on the undercard of the July 2nd, Pacquiao – Larios fight against his toughest opponent to day, Alejandro Montiel. Should he get past Montiel, his next bout could be a shot at the WBO super bantamweight title held by Daniel Ponce De Leon of Mexico.

However, Bautista’s trainer, Freddie Roach, emphasized he’s in no rush to get Bautista a title shot.

“The kid's just 19 years old and maybe after a year he'll be ready.”

Marquez Gets A Second Chance

Juan Manuel Marquez, Nacho Beristain and Jaime Quintana were justifiably crucified in the media for traveling to Borneo to fight WBA Featherweight Champion Chris John for the paltry sum of $31,250. Marquez could have made that much Dancing With the Stars but instead came out on the losing end of a controversial decision with no belt around his waist and no promoter.

Marquez and Thailand’s Terdsak Jandaeng are slated to square off August 5th for the WBO Interim Featherweight Title in either Reno or Las Vegas.  Jandaeng must first get past Daniel “The Prophet” Attah of Nigeria. Current champion Scott Harrison pulled out of a scheduled title defense against Gary St. Claire after being arrested less than a week before the bout on suspicion of possessing drugs.

Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym and Vladimir Sidorenko to Meet in Germany

On July 15th in Hamburg, Germany, WBA Interim bantamweight champion Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (24-0, 15 KOs) travels to the lion’s den to square off against WBA bantamweight champion Wladimir Sidorenko (18-0-1, 6 KOs) in the quest to determine who is the true champion of the WBA. In August of last year, Poonsawat, 24, passed his first major test when he defeated Ricardo Cordoba (then 25-0) by split decision. In March of this year, the Ukranian-born, Germany-based Sidorenko faced Cordoba and was held to a disputed draw.

Quick Results

May 22, 2006 – Watratchaorot School, Chomthong, Bangkok, Thailand

Fahsan 3K Battery TKO8 Mario Diasis
Fahsai Sakreerin UD6 Dondon Lapuz
Chaiyong DiStar Draw – 6 rounds Jaipetch Charoenkasem

May 21, 2006 – Central Hall, Osaka, Japan

Ken Nakajima KO4 Kaennakorn Klongpajol
Sintung Kietbusaba KO2 Taisei Marumoto

May 20, 2006 – Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan

Nobuhito Honmo UD12 Jimrex Jaca
Kazuhisa Watanabe UD10 Ikuto Kobayashi

May 19, 2006 – Siam Shanghai Shopping Mall, Nonthaburi, Thailand

Chonlatarn Pariyapinyo UD12 Jaime Barcelona
Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai UD8 Arniel Tinampay

May 18, 2006 – Socio-Civic and Cultural Center, Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

Baby Lorona Jr. KO6 Joebar Damosmogg

May 15, 2006 – Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan

Takefumi Sakata TD6 Kenji Yoshida