Thailand’s Atichai Phoemsap was sensational in the ASEAN Youth Championships on Day3

The historical first edition of the ASEAN Youth Boxing Championships was continued in Saraburi, Thailand with great contests. The host nation’s Atichai Phoemsap delivered the main sensation of Day 3 beating Philippines’ Children of Asia Games winner and Best Asian Junior Boxer of 2016 Criztian Pitt Laurente in the semi-final.
Among the Southeast Asian nations Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam are taking part in the competition in Saraburi. Women boxers can take part in the ASEAN Youth Boxing Championships in four weight classes: 51kg, 57kg, 60kg and 75kg. The men talents have got six weight classes in the ASEAN Youth Boxing Championships: 49kg, 52kg, 56kg, 60kg, 64kg and 69kg. Boxers who were born in 1999 and in 2000 are eligible to compete in the ASEAN Youth Boxing Championships.
Indonesia’s Maluku Governor Cup silver medallist Ainun Azizah moved up to the flyweight (51kg) but she adopted the level of the category quickly and opened her participation with a success against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thanh Thom. In her second contest on Day3 she was able to continue the winning path and defeated Thailand’s Thanchanok Phanan winning the key semi-final by unanimous decision. Her final opponent will be another Thai talent, Chiranchaya Phunsang for the gold.
Vietnam’s women’s boxing life developed well enough in the recent years and their next future hope could be Pham Thi Mai who defeated Thailand’s strong favourite Porntip Buapa in the semi-final of the featherweight (57kg). Her opponent for the title will be Thailand’s Bunyanut Machai who has got enough international experiences to win the weight class.
Thailand’s Thitisan Panmod delivered the first success for the host nation in the whole ASEAN Youth Boxing Championships on Day1 when he was too strong for Laos’ Viengxai Akhalith at the light flyweight (49kg). Panmod continued his winning path against a top rival, Philippines’ Milenino Anduyan in the semi-final and will be boxing for the gold with his teammate Sattawet Srisung in Saraburi.
Thailand’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Pluem Wangkhlaklang is member of the national team since 2014 therefore he had more than enough experiences to advance to final of the 1st ASEAN Youth Boxing Championships. He was able to beat Malaysia’s Amirul Hakim Bin Sakila in the quarter-final of the bantamweight (56kg) on Day2 and continued his winning path against Laos’ Khamphou Houngaloun in the semi-final of the event.
Philippines’ Children of Asia Games winner Criztian Pitt Laurente was awarded the Best Asian Junior Boxer of the Year 2016 and began his participation in the 1st ASEAN Youth Boxing Championships with amazing performance against Laos’ Alek Lekhoth who claimed silver in their Junior National Championships. The 17-year-old Filipino lightweight (60kg) boxer was not enough shape in the semi-final of the event against Thailand’s Atichai Phoemsap who delivered the main sensation of the day winning the bout by unanimous decision in Saraburi.
Thailand’s next youth hero Anan Thonkrathok competed at the 2015 AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships and also in the 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships therefore he is the main favourite of the light welterweight (64kg). He had a strong rival Laos’ newcomer Koung in the quarter-final but after that success he was much better against Singapore’s Tan Jun Jie in the semi-final today. His final opponent will be Thailand’s Bannaphon Pannon who is also an experienced boxer in their youth national team.