When a 4-0 Boxer Defeats a 91-2 Boxer it Makes News!
By: Ken Hissner
Azizbek Abdugofurov 5-0 (4), of UZB, retained his WBC Asian Boxing Council title February 10th at the Far East Square, in Singapore defeating Sirimongkhon Iamthuam, then 91-3, of Thailand, over twelve rounds it makes news! Iamthuam has wins over fourteen opponents in their debut including four in 2016. Nineteen of his opponents had losing records and six had even records. That’s Thailand boxing for you.
One of Iamthuam’s losses was in a title defense for his World WBC super featherweight title in Austin, TX, against Jesus “El Matador” Chavez, then 39-2, in August of 2003. Iamthuam had won the title defeating Japan’s Kengo Nagachima, 21-1-1, in August of 2002, in Tokyo, Japan. He had previously lost in challenging for the WBC world Bantamweight title held by Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, in seven rounds, in Osaka, Japan.
Abdugofurov turned professional in May of 2016 stopping Giga Nadiradze, 20-10-1, in UZB. In his second out a month later in June he stopped Sahlan Coral, 15-4, of Indonesia in the second round in Singapore. Both were scheduled for six rounds. In his next bout in July he knocked out Chaloemporn Sawatsuk, 17-0, of Thailand, in Singapore, in the first round for his current title, scheduled for 12.
In his fourth bout he stopped Aleksander Bajawa, 41-2-4, of Indonesia in January of 2017, in the second round, in Malaysia, scheduled for 8. This was followed by his win over Iamthuam. He is scheduled on March 25th in Singapore meeting Soufiene Ouerghi, 11-4-1, a Tunisian out of Italy, in a 12. Ouerghi fought to a draw in his last bout in December with Rafael Bejaran, 23-2, for the vacant WBO Euro title.
