Lao Phaneath won a decision over Phal Seyha on Saturday February 9 at the CTN boxing stadium. (photos)

Fighting from the red corner, Seyha worked slowly and methodically through the first two rounds, moving forward with one-two punch combinations and low kicks. Phaneath responded with little, instead biding his time until the later rounds, when the judges traditionally pay much closer attention.

In the third Phaneath came to life, pushing inside with one-two combinations and lunging for the clinch. Seyha and Phaneath both weighed in at 57kg, and in the clinch the two fighters looked evenly matched. The strength advantage went to Phaneath, but Seyha equalized with a higher work ratio. Phaneath also got a taste of Seyha’s elbows. Phaneath responded with a few heavy combinations, and just recaptured the round when the bell rang.

Seyha responded in the fourth by barreling forward with combinations and forcing the clinch. Blue looked winded from his closing spurt in the third, and Seyha tried to capitalize with a flurry of knees inside. Near the two minute mark Seyha landed four straight roundhouse kicks to Phaneath’s right bicep that cemented the round for red.

Round five would decide the fight. When the bell rang, Seyha came out swinging and for the first minute dominated. But about a minute into the fifth, a push kick from blue caught Seyha flat-footed and knocked him flat on his back. It would be the defining moment. From that instant on, the action fizzled, and two exhausted fighters coasted to the closing bell.

(Photo: Trainer Paddy Carson wraps Phal Seyha’s hands before the bout. The gold wraps were a gift to Seyha from American fighter Mike Justice, who was in town in Feb 07 to fight Vorn Viva — part I and part II on YouTube.)