Roeung Sophorn will take on three foreign fighters in a marathon match on January 19. Town Sports
Popular Kun Khmer exponents Thoeun Theara and new women’s champion Eh Yanut have expressed concerns about their latest challenge.
The pair are set to take part in the January 19 Ganzberg Kun Khmer Kung Fu event, which will pit five Cambodian fighters against Chinese opponents.
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The event, which will be held in Kamboul district, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, is the first joint promotion between Town Sports and China’s Hainan television station.
Some of the events will be held under Ku Khmer rules, while some fighters will face off under international kickboxing rules. This raises a potential obstacle, as the favoured elbow strikes of the traditional Khmer martial art are outlawed in kickboxing.
Yanut, who will meet Kuang Fei in a 57kg kickboxing match, shared her trepidation.
“This is the first time that I will fight in a kickboxing event – I have never practised this style of fighting before,” she explained.
“I am slightly worried, but I have trained in Vovinam and Western boxing, so I can change my style. Let’s wait and see what happens in the ring,” she added.
Theara has been matched up with Chiao Zhou in a 72kg Kun Khmer bout. He was unsure of his chances, noting that his opponent is unfamiliar to him.
“This is the first time I have been paired against him. Because I have never seen him fight, I do not know what strategy he favours or how competitive he may be,” he said.
“However, I am well-prepared and in great shape, so I vow to do my best. Whether I win or lose, it should be an interesting match,” he added.
Phal Sophoan will meet Liu Longquan in a 65kg Kun Khmer event, while Pich Sambath will take on Yang Huo in a 60kg kickboxing bout. Moeun Mekhea is scheduled to fight Zhang Jingtao in the 63.5kg class, also under the rules of kickboxing.
Sophoan explained that the three fighters who will compete in kickboxing event may struggle to adjust to the new rules, as they will not be allowed to use their elbows. They are also unable to deploy knee strikes in the clinch.
He noted that the Chinese fighters’ experience would also give them an advantage.
“I personally think it will be difficult to claim victory in the kickboxing matches, as our opponents will be using a style they have practised since childhood. We have always trained in Kun Khmer, so it might be hard for us to switch our style up,” he said.
“For the Kun Khmer matches, I would say I am 80 per cent sure we will win. When it comes to the kickboxing bouts, I think it is more 50-50. We will all have to give it our all, and hope that it goes well,” he added.
In addition to the individual matches, Roeung Sophorn will be pitted against three foreigners – Filipino Bacus Juvanie, Chinese boxer Luo Jie and Russian fighter Sotavov Albert – for a 69kg belt. The four men will draw lots and compete with each other to determine who enters the ring for the title match, scheduled for the same night.
Tommy Kim, Town Sports promoter and representative of the International Professional Combat Council, described the event as a new page in the history of Kun Khmer and Kung Fu, noting that he looks forward to many future collaborations between Town TV and Hainan TV.
“We have united to organise one of the biggest events ever. We have brought six elite fighters from China, as well as a Filipino and a Russian,” he said.
“This is a golden opportunity to promote Kun Khmer abroad, because it will give promoters from China, Japan and Europe a chance to see what our fighters are capable of. This means our boxers need to do their best to showcase their skills,” he told a January 10 press conference.
“If they succeed in making themselves known, they are likely to be invited to fight in events overseas. As it happens, we are already in talks to take several fighters to China,” he added.
He explained that they are also responsible for promoting the millennium-old ancestral martial art of Kun Khmer.
“Our Khmer ancestors invented this unique art of our cultural heritage, so as their descendants, we owe it to them to preserve it and share it with the world,” he said.
Jiang Kaihon, representative for China’s Hainan TV, also addressed the press conference.
“We are very happy to be here in Cambodia for this event, one of the largest ever. This competition will tighten the ironclad bonds of friendship between Cambodia and China. It will also provide valuable experience for both Kun Khmer and Kung Fu practitioners,” he said.
