Muay Thai 

Trương Cao Minh Phát pushes Phan Huy Hoàng to the corner and lands punches during the flyweight (61.5kg) category of the Muay Thai Rampage: Road to ONE Việt Nam. Photo of Shadow Entertainment

HCM CITY Trương Cao Minh Phát eased into the semi-finals of the Muay Thai Rampage: Road to ONE Việt Nam after his outstanding performance in the qualification on May 19 in HCM City.

The WBC Muay Thai champion proved powerful from the start when facing Phan Huy Hoàng in the flyweight (61.5kg) category.

Phát, a domestic giant fighter with titles in various tournaments, wasn't challenged by the unknown Hoàng and was announced winner of the match by way of a technical knock out in the third round.

Phát is now drawn against Phan Trọng Quý in the last round. Quý also recorded a knock-out win over Danh Quốc in the later match of the night at the Saigon Sports Centre.

In the other match, Morrocan Walid Sakhraji floored Nguyễn Duy Thuần of Việt Nam with a heavy elbow that made Thu leave the ring on a stretcher.

Sakhraji, the only foreigner of the qualification, will face Nguyễn Hào Hiệp in the semis.

Hiệp advanced to the next round without even breaking sweat after his rival Vương Văn Tín withdrew at the last minute.

Morrocan Walid Sakhraji is winner of the match against Vietnamese Nguyễn Duy Thuần.

In the strawweight (56.7kg), Huỳnh Hoàng Phi, WBC Muay Thai International beat Nguyễn Tấn An after three rounds. He will be against Vũ Đại Luật who won over Võ Minh Nghĩa in the later bout.

Nguyễn Thanh Thoan defeated Võ Thanh Tùng and will be meeting Huỳnh Văn Tuấn who beat Bùi Trần Tấn Tài.

The semi-final rounds will be held on July 21.

It was the first time Road To ONE had been held in Việt Nam with winners offered a place at the ONE Championship, which hosts fights across many styles including mixed martial arts, Muay Thai and kickboxing.

The winners of the tournament will earn a US$100,000 contract competing at the world largest martial art competition, the ONE Championship. VNS