Former world heavyweight boxing champion Riddick Bowe will demonstrate his Muay Thai fighting skills at a tournament to be staged at Pattaya’s Bali Hai pier on Friday, June 14.
The World Thai Superfight contest was originally scheduled to be held in Pattaya last month but was postponed due to an ankle injury sustained in training by the 45-year old Bowe. When the fight was rearranged, it was switched to Bangkok’s Huamark Indoor Stadium as there were concerns about staging an outdoor contest during the rainy season, however, the promoters have since had a change of heart and will once again bring the event to fight fans on the Eastern Seaboard.
A meeting was held at Pattaya City Hall on Monday, June 3, attended by city officials and the event organizers, to discuss preparations for the boxing tournament and confirm the list of fighters scheduled to take part. A total of 12 bouts will be held with the highlight being the superheavyweight contest between Riddick Bowe and Russia’s Levgen Golovin for the WBC & WMC Muay Thai crowns.
Other fighters taking part on the evening include Canada’s Simon Makus and Ricado Van De Boss, Dutchman Fed Sikking and Dewee Cooper from the USA, Frenchman Sarladeen Etkerner and a host of Thailand’s top fighters headed by former Olympic bronze medalist Suriya Prasathinphimai.
Bowe rose to boxing fame in the early 1990’s when he took part in a famous trilogy of fights with Evander Holyfield. He hasn’t fought competitively since he defeated Gene Pukall by a unanimous decision in December 2008 on the Wladimir Klitschko-Hasim Rahman undercard but has been in serious training for his debut Muay Thai fight in this country.
“After my retirement (from boxing), I have tried many fighting sports but none is as good as Muay Thai,” Bowe told reporters on his arrival in Thailand last month. “I have recovered from an ankle injury and I’m ready for the fight.”
The World Thai Superfight event will be held at a specially constructed boxing arena at Bali Hai from 6 p.m. and admission is free of charge to all interested fight fans. The contest will also be broadcast live on Channel 11 and True Visions HD as well as several international TV networks.
