Khmer boxing superstar Thoeun Theara in action against a foreign opponent in a Town Arena competition. Wurkz
The issue of private boxing arenas purchasing and signing exclusive contracts with fighters – ensuring they compete only at specific venues in exchange for salaries and other benefits – may not be addressed by the leadership of the Khmer Boxing Federation (KBF). This means there may be no effort to create transparency in the Khmer boxing events broadcast by local television stations.
Khov Chhay, who was recently re-elected as KBF president, explained that the federation has considered this issue and is still studying it. However, he has not taken any legal measures to eliminate the practice, fearing it could negatively impact arena owners and sponsors, who are key stakeholders in the development of Khmer boxing.
“We are studying this issue because, in a free market, we cannot prohibit fighters from signing contracts with companies or television stations," he said.
“The federation does not own the fighters! Our role is to preserve and develop Khmer boxing, while the clubs themselves are responsible for managing their fighters,” he added.
He provided details of the importance of athletes being allowed to make their own decisions.
“If a club allows it, the federation cannot intervene because the fighter’s livelihood is their own decision. They determine whether a contract with a company or television station benefits them. In some cases, if we take action, it could harm our development partners, including television stations,” he continued.
Each of the local television stations which run boxing arenas require skilled, well-known athletes to compete at their venues, so as to attract fans and secure lucrative sponsorship deals from private companies.
Khov Chhay (centre) was re-elected as president of the Khmer Boxing Federation (KBF) on January 22. Chhorn Norn
However, this can lead to unfair competition, as popular fighters are often signed exclusively by financially strong arena owners and sponsors. These exclusive contracts limit them to fighting only in specific programmes, a practice known as “contract locking”. Some fighters are even appointed as brand ambassadors to represent a particular event or product.
This unethical practice dates back to the era of famed boxer Keo Rumchang. At that time, Bayon Arena provided him with a monthly salary to ensure he only fought in their events. Today, a similar situation can be seen with top fighter Thoeun Theara, who exclusively competes in matches organized by Town Arena. Several other A-list fighters are also following this path.
The lack of transparency in securing fighters for exclusive matches has caused significant challenges for some boxing promotors. They consider the practice of purchasing fighters and restricting their participation as unethical, potentially leading to favouritism among stakeholders in the Khmer boxing industry.
In extreme cases, financially struggling arenas may be forced to shut down, which would negatively affect the development and preservation of Khmer boxing.
Despite this, Chhay did not see the exclusive signing of fighters by major arenas as a serious problem, arguing that it is part of a free market. He pointed out that similar practices occur in other countries and worldwide, where well-known fighters sign contracts to compete in specific events.
“We have discussed this issue many times, trying to determine the best approach," Chhay stated.
“If we enforce rules against it, we will inevitably clash with television stations that need fighters to fill their programmes. That’s why they sign long-term contracts and appoint them as brand ambassadors. I believe this happens not just in Cambodia but in many other countries as well,” he explained.
