Olympic silver medalist a class above; Philippines stay perfect

Olympic silver medalist a class above; Philippines stay perfect
By EN-LAI YEOH, AP

BACOLOD, Philippines (AP) - Fighting for the first time as a
featherweight, Olympic silver medalist Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand
opened with an easy win over Cambodia's Korm Bora on Wednesday in
Southeast Asian Games boxing.

The host Philippines, meanwhile, stayed perfect on the third day of the
tournament.

"I've no problem moving up (a class). I'm not afraid of anyone here,"
said Petchkoom, who won a silver medal as a bantamweight at Athens.

The first round went easily to Petchkoom, and he opened the second with
a series of left-right combinations that shook Bora and ended the fight
at 25-7.

Petchkoom put on three kilograms (6.6 pounds) to move up to the
featherweight class and give his friend Thaengthong Klongchan the
chance to fight in the bantamweight.

The going was also easy for Petchkoom's biggest challengers - hometown
favorite Joegen Ladon and Malaysia's Eddey Kalai.

Kalai cut Satit Keo Inta of Laos in the third round to end the contest,
while Ladon outpointed Indonesia's Moniaga 26-12 over four rounds.

"Right now, he (Petchkoom) is not on my mind," said Ladon. "I was more
nervous coming out in front of my hometown crowd."

Ladon is from nearby Bago City, just outside Bacolod, a major city on
Negros Island in the central Philippines.

One of best fights of the night came from yet another
Philippines-Thailand showdown, this time between lightweights Genebert
Basadre and Tun Damasak.

Damasak was down by three points at the end of a closely fought first
round, but was nearly out of contention in the second.

A straight right from Basadre rattled Damasak midway through the second
round and the Thai soon fell behind 17-9. Basadre fought on the outside
in the third and fourth, staying away from his rival's reach to win
26-19.

The boxing finals will be held Saturday.


11/30/05 06:58 EST


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