Khon Reach, blue, just barely eked out a victory over Kun Khmer Champion Season One winner Cheam Adam on Sunday Nov 16. The loss knocks Cheam Adam from the 65kg title tournament. Khon Reach joins Ty Bunhan, Pich Arun and Him Saran in the semifinals.

Full story from The Phnom Penh Post.

Vorn Savy and Um Piseth open the third season of Kun Khmer Champion on Sunday at the CTN boxing arena. The two are not friends, and there has been some simmering tension between the two recently. Should make for a firecracker of a fight. Start at 2 p.m.

Season 3 lineup:

1. Prak Makara             Kandal
2. Keo Savy                  Kampong Speu
3. Morn Kimlong        Kandal
4. Hourn Soknim        Kandal
5. Heng Vichay           Kratie
6. Um Piseth                Battamabang
7. Min Seila                  Kampong Thom
8. Sek Kimkim             Siem Reap
9. Meas Socheat         Banteay Meanchey
10. Pen Song                 Kandal
11. Vorn Savy              Siem Reap
12. Sam Piseth             Kampong Cham

TWELVE unknown rookie fighters will try to slug their way to wealth and fame in the second season of Kun Khmer Champion at the CTN boxing arena, which airs its first show Sunday.

For the dozen newcomers the Kun Khmer Champion reality series offers a chance to skip years of fighting in little-viewed undercard bouts and go straight to the main event, where packed arenas cheer every punch and gamblers shower their winners with prize money.

Like fighting sport the world over, a boxer’s ability to command big money rides largely on his popularity, with fighters often spending years brawling in obscurity before breaking into the limelight.

“A year ago I was pouring cement,” said Sam Ournlourng, a 21-year-old from Prey Veng and one of a dozen hopefuls on the show. “I’d rather fight.”

Read the whole story.

Round 1 of the Kun Khmer Champion series is complete. There are now six fighters left. They will take this weekend off, and pick up fighting again next Sunday. The three fights left, in order, are:

• Cheam Adam v Seung Kangsan
• Ai Kosal v Khon Makara
• Rak Vichay v Nhean La
• Cheam Adam v Rak Vichay (Cheam Adam by decision)
• Seung Kangsan v Khon Makara (Seung Kangsan by decision)
• Ai Kosal v Nhean La

The three winners will automatically make it through to the semi-finals. The three losers will face each other in some sort of non-fight contest of strength and agility. The winner of that contest will pick his opponent. The loser of the fight and the fighter not chosen will both go home. The winner will advance to the semifinals.

In the final fight of round one, Ai Kosal vs Khun Reach, Reach got TKOd in the fourth after three eight counts.

UPDATE

The original list above was wrong. It’s been corrected. Cheam Adam KO’s Rak Vichay in the fifth. It was the best fight so far. The difference was fitness. Rak Vichay may actually be the better fighter, but Cheam Adam was stronger in the later rounds.

Seung Kansang vs Morn Kimlong. Kangsan, with twice as man fights as Kimlong, is the favorite.

Highlights from fight two — Rak Vichay KO win over Tim Veasna — and previews of fight three scheduled for Sunday, Nean La vs Pon Sophean.

(Referee Meas Sokry gives Tim Veasna a standing 8-count.)

Rak Vichay TKO’d Tim Veasna in the second third, bringing the 3-knockdown rule into account. The third fight, scheduled for this Sunday, will be Nean La vs Pon Sophean.