Era, Lukas, Innes Win in Thailand

By Carlos Costa

BANGKOK, Thailand — Japanese bantamweight Toshihiko Era, cute Kazakh Super Flyweight Angelina Lukas and promising Australian featherweight Ben Innes scored knockout wins during the latest Highland Boxing Gym show on February 29 at the SpacePlus Night Club, RCA Plaza, in Bangkok, Thailand.

In the main event, Toshikiko Era (19-3, 14 KO’s) of Fukuoka, Japan, made good use of his superior speed and firepower to dominate and stop in two frames former Thai world champ Wicha Phulaikhao in two rounds, taking home the vacant ABF Bantamweight belt.

In the co-feature, popular Kazakhstan Super Flyweight fight girl Angelina “Barbie” Lukas (7-1, 4 KO’s) decked and overpowered young and brave Kadesara Jadpakdee (7-4, 4 KO’s) of Thailand for a round four TKO win.

The world class Angelina Lukas, 27, dictated the pace of the rumble with her elegant and damaging coming-forward aggressiveness, methodologically reducing Kadesara’s stamina to zero, forcing Thai referee Kris Sanyadej to waive the fight off.

Showing improvements in skills and power, young featherweight Ben Innes (3-0, 1 KO), of Perth, Western Australia, boxed and over-ran more-experienced former Muay Thai combatant Nirun Baonok for a stoppage win in frame 4, paving the way for more action in 2024.

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In heavyweight action, Taryel Jafarov (26-7, 24 KO’s) of Baku, Azerbaijan, harshly rocked Chinnakrit Junkot, sending to dreamland for a fast and exciting round one TKO win.

In an all-Thai affair in the lightweight division, Kritiphak Duangnut (2-2, 0 KO’s) of Korat out-boxed and out-smarted 18-year-old Jatupol Raksapet (3-1, 3 KO’s) for a round six majority decision win.

No cuts nor knockdowns were produced during the fast-paced battle, in which the more experienced Kritiphak prevailed thanks to his superior boxing.

In another women’s fight, former Asia titlist Phannaluk Kongsang (13-13-1, 8 KO’s) bulldozed over less-experienced 21-year-old Inthira Pengkrajom (3-4, 3 KO’s), for a non-title chapter two TKO victory in the super flyweight division.

In one heck of a fight, the most thrilling and competitive clash of the evening, 25-year-old Mohammed Zekria Zamani (8-2, 6 KO’s), of Kabul, Afghanistan, stopped in three fast & furious rounds brave, hard-hitting Ibrahim Chabane (3-1, 3 KO’s) of France.

In middleweights, Malaysian-born Aussie Douglas Lee Kien Yoong (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Melbourne dropped and stopped in one frame 31-year-old Win Tun Oo of Hlaingbwe, Myanmar.

Officials from the Malaysian Embassy in Thailand were jubilant in ringside, celebrating their compatriot’s knockout win. Official time was 2:30 in round 1.

In Super Middleweights, unbeaten hard-swinging 27-year-old Daryl Ronald Marshall (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Australia battled and stopped crafty 22-year-old former Muay Thai combatant Worawut Singhabutr for a round 5 TKO triumph.

In Light Heavyweights action, tough-as-they-come Andrew “The Widowmaker” Green (12-2-1, 7 KO’s) of Thornlie, Western Australia, landed heavy artillery over 25-year-old Banpot Khaoiam, disassembling him in two stanzas, for a successful and rewarding return to the ring after a 7-year hiatus.

Green looked fast and devastating form, looking ready for more action in the light heavyweight, or perhaps the super middleweight division.

In attendance during the event was veteran boxing patron Naris Singwancha, president of the ABF (Asian Boxing Federation) of Bangkok, Thailand. MC for the show was Ali McOnie of Bournemouth England.

The entertaining international show was a promotion of Thailand promoter Supanat Chanram, director at Highland Boxing Promotions, in association with SpacePlus Bangkok.