The WBC kickboxing world title fight between Cambodian boxer Puth Sambo and veteran Thai fighter Wanchaloem Chanajan will take place in Sydney, Australia, on the night of February 22 (3pm local time). Well known Kun Khmer fighter and stuntwoman Sam Tharoth will appear on the undercard, taking on Australian fighter Jane Koo in an international friendly.

Sreu Sreng (Samnob), president of ISKA Kun Khmer, led the Cambodian delegation to Australia.

He had high hopes that Sambo would be able to reclaim the WBC world title for Cambodia. His optimism follows a disappointing loss in 2024, when Cambodian fighter Bird Sangkhem failed to claim the WBC title in his first attempt.

Samnob regarded Sangkhem’s loss in the 57kg title fight in Australia in February 2024 as bad luck. During the fight, his Thai opponent opened a large cut on Sangkhem, causing the ringside doctor to stop the fight in the first round, despite protests from the Cambodian side. 

Samnob did not believe the same thing will happen to Sambo.

“When Sangkhem fought Yothin, I had 100 per cent confidence in him, but because of one unlucky mistake, he suffered a big cut, and the fight was stopped. I have the same confidence in Sambo, because I have studied Wanchaloem’s fighting style — he is now much older than he was in his prime,” he said.

Wanchaloem was once a top fighter at Thailand’s Channel 7 Stadium, but now lives in Australia, where he trains students while continuing to fight himself. He won all three of his last fights in Australia.

Puth Sambo and Sam Tharoth pose with their coaching staff during a february press conference. Supplied

He has reportedly made it his goal to claim the WBC belt, in order to promote the reputation of Muay Thai. His preparation is likely better than Sambo’s, as he is already living and training in Australia.

Samnob acknowledged that Sambo may be at a slight disadvantage in this respect. Therefore, the Cambodian team decided to arrive in Australia five days ahead of the bout, landing on February 7.

“If we just wanted to save money, we wouldn’t have needed to go so early. But we want to win, so we decided to arrive well in advance. This time, we’re not staying in a hotel — instead, we rented a house so the fighters can prepare their own food and have a more comfortable environment for training and rest,” he explained.

Coach Mak Sokhon also expressed strong confidence in Sambo.

“We wouldn’t send him into this fight if we didn’t see a real chance for victory. As his coach, I have 70 per cent confidence that he can bring the belt back to Cambodia and honor Kun Khmer,” he said.

Sambo and Tharoth are both focused on taking victory in tomorrow’s bouts.

At a press conference on February 13, Sam Tharoth stated

“We have worked hard to improve ourselves. Thanks to the support and encouragement of our leaders, we are even more motivated. Opportunities to compete internationally don’t come often, so Sambo and I are determined to seize this chance and do our best for our country and Kun Khmer,” Tharoth told a February 13 press conference.