WBC Muaythai launch showcases Pinoys

The grand launch of the World Boxing Council’s Muaythai division at the Resorts World theater next weekend is going to highlight the abilities of Filipino fighters, both homegrown and Fil-foreign. Five of the bouts will feature Filipinos vying for the various international titles at stake. Currently, the world lightweight, super featherweight, featherweight, super bantamweight, bantamweight, super flyweight, flyweight, light flyweight and mini flyweight titles are vacant. The higher weight classes are dominated by Europeans, Australians and of course, Thais.

According to the organizers, the WBC Muaythai card held in Malaysia last March was broadcast live to China, and drew a TV audience of roughly 300 million. This time around, Filipinos will be given a stage on which to perform for that large an audience, and hopefully inspire their countrymen to look at the sport as a source of livelihood.

The five-round final bout, with the WBC Muaythai’s international featherweight belt at stake, will pit Fil-American champion Romie Adanza against Huang Haigong of China. Adanza is a coach and trainer of Team Oyama in Irvine, California, and was a former US WBC muaythai champion. Adanza is currently ranked 15th in the world. Huang came off a split decision win over Deng ZaShe in China in December.

The other main event, for the WBC Muaythai international super featherweight title, will see Fil-Australian Reinhart Badato battle Khairul Amuar Bin Rusli of Malaysia. Badato carries a record of 28 wins, 14 losses and four draws as per his team Full Force Gym’s website. He has been Australian muaythai champion. He has also been the World Kickboxing Federation lightweight champion.

Other bouts will feature local talent Dennis Padua against China’s Li Yan in 75-kilo Shandong international challenge match. There will also be an international women’s match to spice up the evening.

Badato’s brother Michael will also see action in a Shandong World Sanda four-man 75-kilo tournament bout against Jae-Gil Noh of Korea. The other match-up features Dorian Price of the US against Lu Jian Cao of China. The winners of each bout will square off in the three-round final later in the evening.

Preliminary bouts will include an international welterweight face-off between either local boy Joey Tabbu or Dominit Kinkito and Issei Shima of Japan.

Ky Hollenbeck of the US, meanwhile, is favored over Foo Lang Wong of China in their WCK vs Shandong international middleweight superfight. Hollenbeck fights with World Team USA out of San Francisco, and has a record of five wins and one loss.

“Hollenbeck is a real deadly young fighter,” WBC Muaythai vice-chairman Tony Reyes adds. “This will be his first major exposure to Filipino martial arts fans. You’ll be in for a treat.”

The WBC Muaythai is chaired by Gen. Kovid Bhakdibhumi, a close friend of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, where the sport was born. In old Thai culture, merely pointing your foot at someone was considered a grave insult. The ultimate affront was therefore kicking someone in the face. Muaythai also gained popularity through Thai martial arts movies and use in the military, as well as early films of Belgian action star Jean-Claude Van Damme. Today, its most famous proponent is Jason Statham, star of “The Transporter” movies, “Death Race” and “The Mechanic”. Statham has even narrated documentaries on the history of muaythai and Westerners seeking to learn the sport in Thailand.

In the Philippines, the amateur Muaythai Association Philippines is headed by retired police general Lucas Managuelod. Action star Robin Padilla has been MAP chairman, as well. The MAP has already had initial discussions with WBC Muaythai to jointly train fighters who may decide to turn pro and fight overseas.

“There are many job opportunities for Filipino martial arts trainers abroad, specifically in the US,” says Reyes, who owns a chain of gyms in the US. “We can help them get a job wherein they will be looked up to and can work with dignity, instead of a life with servitude, as what many Filipinos are going through now.”

And maybe, just maybe, the WBC Muaythai’s first foray into the Philippines will open the eyes of our countrymen to those opportunities.