Indonesia's top boxer, President's Cup bronze medallist and multiple National Champion Julio Bria made history at the South East Asian Games by winning the Flyweight final. 23-year-old local favourite Bria from Bali, who had eliminated the current Asian Games winner Rey Saludar of Philippines in the flyweight semi-final, shocked Thailand's Chatchai Butdee to take the title.
Thailand's Asian Champion veteran Kaew Pongprayoon completely dismantled Vietnam's young Huynh Ngoc Tan at the Light Flyweight final. The Vietnamese corner threw in the towel in the second round of this one-sided contest as their boxer was taking too much punishment. Thailand securing its first gold medal in the men's boxing tournament.
Thailand's 30-year-old Olympic Games silver medallist Worapoj Petchkoom made it look comfortable in his victory over Vietnam's Asian Championships bronze medallist Tran Quoc Viet in the Bantamweight category. Petchkoom claimed another gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in Palembang, the first of his five coming in 1999.
The first Filipino gold medal at these Games was claimed by Charlie Suarez who successfully defended his title. The 24-year-old Lightweight boxer was too strong for Indonesia's teenager Matius Mandiangan who secured another silver medal after the one he won at the last edition of the Games.
The Filipino head coach had decided to involve 20-year-old newcomer Dennis Galvan in the national squad just before the start Southeast Asian Games. Galvan shined during the tournament and unexpectedly shined and exceeded expectations as he won the gold medal in the Light Welterweight final, beating Indonesia's experienced soldier Afdan Bachtila.
Defending champion and King's Cup winner Apichet Saensit was the strongest Thai fighter in the team and capitalised on his his power in the Welterweight final. Saensit competed has already competed in three AIBA World Boxing Championships during his illustrious career and he used up all his experience in Palembang to claim gold. The 24-year-old Thai fighter retained his title as he knocked out Myanmar's National Champion and surprise package, Wai Lin Aung. There will be high hopes for Aung at the next edition of the Southeast Asian Games to be held in Myanmar, the hope that he makes it to the top of the podium.
Indonesia's veteran Alex Tatontos acquired a second boxing gold for the home nation in Palembang. In the middleweight final, he stopped Malaysia's titleholder Muhammad Farkhan Bin Haron who had eliminated Thailand's Athens Olympic Games winner Manus Boonjumnong at the semi-final stages of the event.
21-year-old current National Champion Luong Van Toan claimed the first ever boxing gold medal for Vietnam in the history of the Southeast Asian Games. The young Vietnamese Light Heavyweight boxer did a career highlight in Palembang as he triumphed over Myanmar's Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Tournament bronze medallist Aung Ko Ko to take the title.
Copyright © 2010 AIBA http://www.aiba.org