Boxing

Song Chan Ho of South Korea (left) defending his WBO Oriental Youth Super Lightweight belt against Anuson Thonglueang of Thailand last December. Song will defend his title for the third time on April 22 in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province. Photo courtesy of Cocky Buffalo

HÀ NỘI — The WBO Youth Title Match Chapter 3: The Rising Star international boxing event is set to showcase an impressive display of boxing on April 22 at The Grand Ho Tram Strip in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province.

South Korean fighter Song Chan Ho, who has dominated the WBO Oriental Youth Super Lightweight division for nearly a year, is set to defend his title against Thai challenger Poramin Saengpak in the night's main event.

Song boasts an unbeaten record of 11 wins, seven of which were secured through knockouts (KO). He claimed his title after beating Romer Pinili of the Philippines in Việt Nam last April and successfully defended it twice in July and December of the same year at The Grand Ho Tram Strip.

In contrast, 18-year-old Saengpak has fought in 17 matches, winning 11 with 9 KOs, and losing six with 5 KOs. The stage is set for an exhilarating match as these two young fighters battle it out for the WBO Youth Title.

The event will also feature two highly-anticipated bouts between Vietnamese and Chinese fighters.

Phạm Hữu Thương of Việt Nam will take on Zeng Yujie of China in the men's super flyweight, while Việt Nam's Nguyễn Văn Hải will go head-to-head with China's Xiao Tao Su in the men's lightweight category.

Thương, a rising star in Vietnamese boxing and a member of the Cocky Buffalo Gym, has competed in four matches so far, recording two wins and two losses.

In contrast, Zeng, 26, boasts much more experience, having fought in 28 matches, with 16 wins (7KOs), one draw, and 11 losses (2KOs).

Later on, on the under-card, national seven-time champion Hải will face a significant challenge in his quest to improve his professional boxing profile.

Nguyễn Văn Hải (left) will compete in his sixth pro match against tough opponent Xiao Tao Su on the under-card. — Photo courtesy of VSP Boxing

Despite being 34 years of age, Hải of VSP Boxing has only participated in five matches throughout his four-year career, winning four of them, two via KOs, and losing just one.

His latest outing was a win against young boxer Hà Minh Tuấn at the VSP Pro 3 event held last month in HCM City.

Xiao, who is younger than Hải at 34, is a renowned boxer in the region.

Xiao clinched the IBO Oceania-Orient and WBO Oriental Super Featherweight belts in 2019, having played in 13 matches, scoring 11 wins with 6 KOs and experiencing only two defeats.

However, his record has not been updated since December 2020, indicating that he may not have been active since the pandemic.

Hải is hopeful of a victory in the eight-round match, which would bolster his record and potentially pave the way for him to compete for a belt later this year.

In the remaining three matches, South Korean prodigy Lee Ju-yeong, aged 17, will battle Mongolia's Bayarkhuu Ganbaatar in the event's opening match.

Filipino boxer Tenorio Romeo will face off against Gun Kim from South Korea, while Russian fighter Mikhail Lesnikov will take on Chinese opponent Xian Hai Zhang.

A poster for the WBO Youth Title Match Chapter 3: The Rising Star, which is organised on April 22 at The Grand Ho Tram Strip.

The upcoming event is a joint effort by Cocky Buffalo, one of the top gyms in the country that has produced several world-class martial artists, and the World Boxing Organisation (WBO).

Fans who are keen on catching the fights can purchase tickets for VNĐ1 million (US$43), which includes a buffet and drinks, from the Cocky Buffalo office or The Grand Ho Tram Strip resort.

Alternatively, they can call 1800 588801 to book their tickets. The exciting matches will be broadcasted exclusively on VTVcab's ON and On plus TV apps, as well as TV channels. VNS