Aaron Leverton sizes up the fighters on the undercard Thursday night: Cheam Adam vs Seung Kangsan and Chay Kosal vs Thun Sophea.

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By now everybody knows that 2 Cambodians are going to earn themselves eternal glory or unending humiliation on August 28th when they ever-so-humbly stand up in the Olympic Stadium and say “I think I’m good enough to be World Champion.”

But two fights make for a pretty boring night. There are also two non-title fights to support the main feature, but four fights only make for a not-quite-so boring night.

Filling out the undercard will be one of Cambodia’s favourite pastimes, watching two grown Khmers try and elbow, knee, punch and kick each other into submission.

The top of the undercard is one of the most anticipated fights in a long time. Quite literally years, in fact.

Chey Kosal is one of the biggest names in Kun Khmer. In Australia he’s nicknamed “the Bull”. Khmers don’t typically grow that big, but I’d say Kosal’s build is more Bulldog than Bull. He’s stocky, he’s solid and he can kick bloody hard. I wouldn’t want to get into the ring against him (I wouldn’t want to get into the ring against my baby sister, but that’s because she’s a black belt who won her University Games gold medal with a first-round, first-kick knockout).

Two years ago he lost the final of the S1 Championship to World Title contender Meas Chantha. His English girlfriend was less than impressed with Chantha when her boxer came home with two black eyes and a broken rib. Despite what appeared to be a beating, Kosal took the fight to Chantha for five rounds and only lost in the end on points.

Since then Kosal has suffered the same problem the other top-flight boxers have, no-one wants to climb into the ring with him. When you earn your money from fighting it doesn’t always pay to be the best.

Like his good friend Meas Chantha, Kosal has made several trips to fight in Australia and recently one to France, coming away with a mixed record. The fights, even the losses, certainly pay better than local bouts, but sometimes the distractions of being in a foreign country where everything works are a little too great.

Be that as it may, On August 28th, 26-year old, 168cm and 70kg Chey Kosal, trained by Kun Khmer Champion (and Royal Gendarmerie boxing club) “Legendary Trainer” Treung Sossay, will step into the ring under the roof of the Olympic Stadium Indoor Arena with a record of 70 fights with 60 wins and 3 draws to his name.

Standing in the opposite corner in the all-Cambodian match-up will be Svay Rieng native Thun Sophea.

Thun Sophea is a literal local legend. Percentage-wise his record is even better than Ei Phouthang’s and he’s one of the few Cambodian boxers who has defeated World title-contender Meas Chantha. In their one and only fight, very early in Chantha’s career, Sophea scored a 2nd round knock out. Since then Sophea’s weight has crept up, lifting him into the next weight division.

If Chey Kosal is built like a bulldog, Thun Sophea is built like a brick sh…er, Sherman Tank. Prior to a warm-up bout at CTN the guy hadn’t fought in over a year, instead he’s been back in Svay Rieng. He’s obviously stopped running during that time, but he’s also, equally obviously, still been labouring on the family farm. Instead of the ripped abs of a professional fighter, he’s got the upper-body bulk of a barroom brawler. Just to round out the image he’s got the solid, back-of-the-throat growl of a B-grade action hero. This guy would fit right into one of Van Damme’s early-90’s efforts.

Listening to him tell the camera (in Khmer) that he would see the audience at the Stadium on August 28th nearly had me rushing out to buy a ticket, this is the kind of guy you don’t say no to.

If you think Kosal’s record of 70 fights and 60 wins is impressive, then sit down.

Thun Sophea has fought 95 professional fights in Cambodia and won 90 of them. Of the remaining five, he’s drawn two. Meaning he has a career-record of only three - count them: one, two, three – losses.

Compare that with national champion and living legend Ei Phouthang: 190 fights (exactly double), 177 wins (less than double), five draws (just under double) and eight losses (almost three times as many)

Now things begin to get familiar. Thun Sophea is trained by kru chincha’ (legendary trainer) Chhit Sarim at the RCAF boxing club.

That’s the A-grade, what about the “B”-grade?

A month ago 19-year old Khlang Mourng club boxer Cheam Adam walked away with the inaugural Kun Khmer Champion belt and bragging rights to the 65kg weight division.

On August 28th the Kampong Cham native will have his first post-reality tv fight. After defeating every opponent he had on the show he will step into the ring to defend his bragging rights, but not his belt, against one of his former co-contestants.

On August 2nd, four former contestants from the show were given the opportunity to fight for the right to challenge Cheam Adam at Olympic Stadium. Runner-up and fourth-placed Ai Kosal and Khorn Makara faced each other in the ring for the third time. The first time Kosal won, giving himself automatic entry to the finals. Makara won the sudden-death elimination final and found himself in the ring against Kosal once again in the semi-finals. Makara was disqualified after an illegal knee to the groin. The third time Makara won by second-round knockout.

The other match-up was between third-place Seung Kangsan and first-round contestant Morn Kimlong. In that first-round match it was Kangsan who survived and Kimlong who was defeated and ejected. In their second, post-KKC, fight it was Kangsan who again took the honours. This time by points decision.

In the end it was Kangsan who walked out of the ring knowing that he would have the biggest fight of his career at the Olympic Stadium on August 28th against former housemate and training partner, not to mention show adversary, Cheam Adam. Last time it was the semi-finals and Cheam Adam’s stamina proved the difference. With one million riel on the line and potential crowd of over 7,000, boxing fans are wondering: has Kangsan been eating his Wheaties?

The Kun Khmer World Title Fight will be held at Olympic Stadium on August 28th. Gates open at 6:30pm and tickets are from $3.00.