Chamroeun became the 61kg champion after defeating Japanese favourite Daimu Hishi last night. Ganzberg
All five Japanese “Samurai” fighters were defeated by Cambodian Kun Khmer fighters in last night’s “Kun Khmer Knock Out” international tournament.
Among them, a shock result saw top-tier Japanese fighter Daimu Hishi reduced to tears after being defeated by Chomroeun Kunkhmer in a title fight that surprised everyone.
Ahead of the event, organised by Town Arena in Phnom Penh's Khan Daun Penh district on April 4, most supporters didn’t expect Chamroeun to defeat Daimu. The Japanese pugilist had previously knocked out Cambodian fighters Pich Sambath and Chhut Serey Vanthong, leaving many skeptical that Chamroeun could avenge those losses.
Their cynicism was based on Daimu’s impressive skills and total confidence in claiming the 61kg championship belt and taking it back to the land of the rising sun.
In addition, it was widely reported that his Khmer opponent had not fully recovered from an injury sustained during a fight in Australia last month, and was unable to train effectively.
Chomroeun Kunkhmer lands a kick on Daimu Hishi, who was reduced to tears after an upset loss saw him defeated on points. Ganzberg
Despite the rumours that surrounded his conditioning, Chamroeun performed exceptionally. He started aggressively with powerful low kicks and combinations, pressuring Daimu and almost overwhelming him in the first round. In the second round, he seemed to hesitate, giving Daimu the chance to counter and land some precise strikes.
With the bout on the line, Chamroeun launched a fierce offensive in the third and final round.
His heavy strikes visibly shook Daimu, who tried to rely on the same signature technique that saw him knock out Serey Vanthong in the first round — but to no avail. The Cambodian fighter threw a series of hard hook counterpunches that neutralised the Japanese fighter’s strategy.
When the final bell rang, Chamroeun was declared the winner on points, earning the belt with a well-deserved victory. His win shocked and delighted Kun Khmer fans nationwide, who praised his determination and fighting spirit in the face of Daimu’s arrogance. Daimu was seen weeping in the ring, visibly heartbroken by the loss.
Chanroeun described the win as a restoration of Kun Khmer’s pride and a way to avenge his fellow countrymen who had lost to Daimu.
“We’ve restored our honor. I did well and beat Daimu, who had defeated Pich Sambath, Chhut Serey Vanthong and Em Sothy. Now, we must all train harder to be ready for more international fighters from other countries,” he said.
Toch Chanvortey lands a knee on Japanese fighter Makiva Suzuki. The only women’s bout of the night saw Chanvortey claim a dominant points victory. Ganzberg
Despite the victory, he admitted that he was almost completely gassed in the third round and was worried about Daimu mounting a late-stage comeback. However, by staying close and aggressive, he prevented Daimu from executing his plan, leading to the emotional defeat.
“Daimu wanted to beat me, and I wanted to beat him. When I won, I saw him cry in the ring with his father. I’m really happy with the win and proud to have avenged my fellow Cambodians. I thank all the parents, brothers and sisters who came out in big numbers to support our Kun Khmer,” he said.
Coach Khim Socheat, who trained Chamroeun, explained how they had anticipated Daimu’s tactics.
“I told him to go straight in and attack because he could land powerful kicks. If he backed off, his strikes would be weaker. Daimu attacks when he sees you retreat. So we decided to strike first,” he said.
“That was our strategy. His powerful kicks caused damage to Daimu’s arm from the first round. That’s why Daimu had to switch tactics and backpedal. If he’d kept pressing, his arm might have been broken,” he added.
The four Cambodia-Japan friendlies saw the Kingdom’s fighters win all four bouts.
Soth Veasna’s victory stood out. He inflicted a head wound on Japanese fighter Masa Sato with a sharp elbow strike that caused heavy bleeding and forced the referee to stop the fight after the first round.
The other triumphant Cambodian fighters included Meun Mekkhea, Koramak Chanrach and female fighter Toch Chanvortey — all of whom defeated their “Samurai” opponents on points.
The Japanese fighter’s much-vaunted technical prowess counted for naught against the seasoned Cambodian pugilist. Ganzberg
