REMATCH: This weekend(Aug 30-31), not sure Friday or Sunday, at TV5.

Local fight legend Bhuet Kam returned to the ring Friday night to face one of the country’s most promising rising stars, Lao Sinath.

In the first two rounds the young man from Battambang looked every bit the untouchable fighter he has always been. Kam pushed the action through round one, landing lightening-fast combinations and once sweeping Sinath to the canvass and then completing the 360 spin with a quick bow and a boyish grin.

Midway through the second Kam landed a solid one-two that prompted referee Meas Sokry to stop the action and give Sinath a standing eight. It looked then like Sinath would be yet another KO statistic in long line of losers, but after the bell rang it was Bheut Kam in the red corner breathing heavy. Over in the blue corner, Sinath looked like he might be at home watching television.

In the third it was Sinath moving forward, pushing the action, and as Kam started tiring, Sinath started landing.

Kam opened the fourth with everything he had left. Sinath took it all and kept moving forward, leaving Kam with nothing left. Sinath pushed Kam against the ropes and landed a knee that doubled the legend over, then another to the head that sent Kam crumbling to the canvass.

Bheut Kam got back up only to get pushed back into the corner, take a few more shots, and collapse for good.

One of the ringside regulars, Yay Mop, said Kam’s only other loss was his very first fight more than a decade ago.

Outside the stadium a crowd gathered around as Lao Sinath, wincing in pain, massaged oinment into his legs. Bheut Kam’s younger brother Samkhan pulled off his long-sleeved shirt and wrapped it around the waist of his brother, who was outside in just his underwear, being carried off to waiting car.

Kam turned to Western boxing about a year ago after winning yet another kickboxing title at 60kg, a division he has owned for the better part of a decade. At the end of 2007 he fought a couple of boxing matches against unheralded imported talent, winning, but only just. He had not fought at all in 2008.

(* I’ve got round 3 and 4 on video. I just need to find a decent internet connection.)