Hong Sovan Chansothy defeated South African powerhouse Ncedo Gomba, thanks to his ringcraft and superior reach. Krud Kun Khmer
South African powerhouse Ncedo Gomba has praised the intelligence of Hong Sovan Chansothy after losing the Krud Kun Khmer championship belt that he had previously won from Pich Sambath. Gomba failed to defend his title against the rising star, who is enjoying rapid success in his career.
Ahead of their match, at the Tatraw village stadium, in Svay Rieng’s Kampong Trach commune, most Kun Khmer fans were skepical of Chansothy’s chances.
Gomba, a strong fighter, previously won a title from SEA Games gold medalist Khim Dima and had a record of 1 win and 1 loss against Pich Sambath. Gomba previously lost by knockout from a heavy leg kick from Lorn Panha, during his first fight in Cambodia.
However, during the five-round match, Chansothy delivered a masterclass, landing full strikes and using his knees and elbows effectively. This resulted in Gomba suffering a cut in the fifth round, which led to a 5-0 defeat by decision.
Gomba admitted that he llost to thhe better fighter on the night, praising Chansothy for his intelligence in the ring and his excellent elbow technique.
“It was a great fight. My opponent was taller and had an easier time closing the distance on me, and he was very smart in his striking, especially with his elbows,” he said.
“I had difficulty keeping up with his pace because he was taller, and he was very smart at escaping and countering with kicks and elbows. I had to be extra cautious about his elbows because they were sharp, and he could change his movement quickly,” he added.
Gomba also revealed that he had expected that facing the Khmer fighter to be a challenge.
“When I watched videos of his fights, I saw that he was taller than me, and he's really good. My main concern was his elbows, but it’s okay, he welcomed me the same way Sambath did. He's smart, but I prefer Pich Sambath's style, which is more about aggressive striking and power," he said.
Chansothy declared the victory a tough one.
“It was a very hard fight because he’s strong and his power is solid, but he’s shorter than me, so he had difficulty getting his strikes to reach me,” he explained.
“I was well-prepared, and I was able to catch Gomba after testing his weaknesses in the first round. I landed many elbows, but he was tough and resilient. He also landed many heavy punches on me because of the strength in his hands,” he acknowledged.
