Muay Thai

Trương Cao Minh Phát of Việt Nam will fight Morrocan Hicham Boulahri for the WBC Muay Thai international title on July 16 in HCM City. Photo courtesy of Shadow Entertainment

HÀ NỘI — The prestigious Muay Thai Rampage: Rising Star event will land in Việt Nam next month promising fierce battles between high-quality local and international fighters.

The World Boxing Council of Muay Thai (WBC Muay Thai) has announced this to be the largest international Muay Thai event to be held in the country. It will include two WBC Muay Thai International Title matches and three WBC Muay Thai National Title bouts. It will be organised at the Saigon Sports Club on July 16 in HCM City.

The first highlight fight will be between Vietnamese Trương Cao Minh Phát and Morrocan Hicham Boulahri to vie for the super featherweight (59kg) belt.

Phát, 28, is the world's 15th-ranked super featherweight Muay Thai fighter. He is the national undefeated champion in his weight class. He's been a fixture of competitions internationally.

He won three fights at the Muay Thai Super Champ last August. He then won via TKO against Wimonchan Nathawat of Thailand at the European Muay Thai Grand Prix event last December in HCM City. It was his only title in 2022.

In the 32nd SEA Games Phát secured a bronze medal in Kun Khmer - a Cambodian martial art that is similar to Muay Thai.

Boulahri, No 17 in the world, is a powerful fighter who tears his way through opponents with aggressive striking and forward pressure.

He has competed in many well-known Muay Thai stadium events in Thailand such as Rajadamnern World Series and Max Muay Thai. 

Pornthip Khamthongphanow of Thailand (right) will take on Vietnamese Huỳnh Hà Hữu Hiếu for WBC Muay Thai minimum weight belt. — Photo courtesy of Shadow Entertainment

The second international match will see host Huỳnh Hà Hữu Hiếu fighting Pornthip Khamthongphanow of Thailand in the women's minimum weight (48kg).

The 24-year-old Hiếu, the world No 5 in her weight class, has been fighting amateur for many years. She was a world champion in 2019 and 2021 and the winner of the World Grand Slam in 2022. In the recent Cambodian SEA Games she pocketed a gold.

World No 7 Khamthongphanow is a rising muay thai star. She's known for her ferocious kicks. 

Fighting for the WBC National Title are Huỳnh Hoàng Phi vs Lý Đươl in the lightweight (61kg) division; Trần Quốc Tuấn vs Võ Quang Vũ in the welterweight (67kg) class and Đặng Quỳnh Bích vs Nguyễn Thị Lâm Như in the women's super bantamweight division (55kg).

There are seven other fights scheduled between Vietnamese fighters, luring more attention to the Muay Thai Rampage event and marking a milestone in the national Muay Thai community.

Poster of the Muay Thai Rampage: The Rising Star which will be organised on July 16 in HCM City.

"With its globally recognised reputation, WBC Muay Thai will strive to help professional Muay Thai in Việt Nam and raise the bar in professional quality and organisation according to international standards," said Jenny Do, WBC Muay Thai committee chairwoman for Việt Nam.

"This will be a solid foundation for the country's boxers to get ready for international competition," said Do who confirmed WBC was one of the most prestigious professional titles in the world of Muay Thai.

Do is co-founder and CEO of Shadow Entertainment which cooperates with the HCM City Muay Thai Federation which is bringing the MTR event to Việt Nam. The MTR is expected to help Việt Nam break into to the world stage of the increasingly popular martial art.

Spectators can watch the thrilling fights at the Saigon Sport Club or through the Facebook fanpage and social network of the MTR. VNS