Vietnamese boxing star to fight undefeated Thai champ

By Duc Dong November 27, 2021 | 12:03 am PT

Vietnamese boxer Tran Van Thao (L) and his Thai opponent Phayom Boonrueang in a promotion poster for their match.

Tran Van Thao, the current WBC Asia belt holder, will enter the ring with Phayom Boonrueang, WBA East Asia champion, on Dec. 19 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Thao claimed the WBC Asia super flyweight belt in 2017, but later, struggled with injuries. When Thao recovered, the pandemic prevented him from competing in international matches. The upcoming bout with Boonrueang is a chance for Thao to accumulate more points on the world ranking and aim toward future belt fights.

"My career was filled with challenges and now I have to start over. Professional events are what I need to return to form. I have trained really hard recently and cannot wait to step into the ring. I’m confident to claim victory in this match," Thao told VnExpress on Friday.

His Thai opponent, Boonrueang, remains undefeated with nine professional wins so far.

The match will take place at the Trigger Boxing club in Tan Phu District, HCMC. This is also where Thao trains eight hours per day to prepare for the fight.