1. Cheam Adam lost to Seung Kangsan on points
2. Chay Kosal lost to Thun Sophea on points
3. Em Vutha beat Jacob Marks on points
4. Alban Ahmedi lost to Vorn Viva on points (World Title Fight)
5. Pich Sophan lost to Tim Thomas on points
6. Frankie Hudders lost to Meas Chanta on points (World Title Fight)

Tim scored an 8-count against Sophan in the third. Chanta scored two 8-counts against Frankie also in the third, both  times with knees. I’ll have some photos up in the next few days.

Everybody made weight.

1. Cheam Adam (64.5) vs. Seung Kangsan (65.4)
2. Chay Kosal (72.8) vs. Thun Sophea (72.7)
3. Em Vutha (56.3) vs. Jacob Marks (56.4)
4. Alban Ahmedi (73.8) vs. Vorn Viva (72.1)
5. Pich Sophan (64.9) vs. Tim Thomas (65.4)
6. Frankie Hudders (66.8) vs. Meas Chanta (66.6)

Fights are in the indoor arena at Olympic Stadium. Doors open tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. A few more photos.

PHOTO: Frankie Hudders, with the ISKA World Title Belt, at Paddy’s Gym.

All the international fighters have arrived. Everybody worked a couple of rounds for the television cameras this evening at Paddy’s gym. The Khmer boys worked out at the CTN stadium in the afternoon. There’s a few pics in the photo gallery from both session, and more to come from tomorrow night’s press conference and weigh in, and then of course, the fights.

“The Dragon”

Nicknamed “The Dragon” due to the full-canvass tattoo covering his back, Meas Chantha has the reputation of a killer, figuratively, if not literally. Currently the most dominant kickboxer in his weight class, Meas Chantha is the guy listed as “the only one who can beat Chey Kosal”. It helps if you know who Chey Kosal actually is, but, then again, that kind of title is fairly self-explanatory.

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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.

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UPDATE: According to the Cambodia Daily, CTN will broadcast the fights live tonight.

I believe Eurovision Sports is negotiating for the rights to rebroadcast some or all of these fights at some point in the future, but not for a live broadcast. check your local listings, as they say.

I’ll post results here Thursday night when the fights are over.

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.)

A good media crowd turned up this morning for a press conference announcing the upcoming ISKA World Title fights. Warriors in the ring, both Chanta and Viva were uneasy behind the microphone.

In other boxing news, Pich Seyha and Bheut Kam will both return to the ring this weekend after many months away. Pich Seyha will square offagainst heavy-handed May Socheat on Friday, and Bheut Kam will face current golden boy Lao Sinath in a highly anticipated match.Both fights at TV5.