PRADASRI VS. XIONG FOR VACANT INTERIM WBA WORLD MINIMUMWEIGHT TITLE OCT. 3

UNDEFEATED Panya Pradabsri of Thailand is facing China’s Chao Zhong Xiong for both the vacant interim WBA World minimumweight and WBA International minimumweight crowns on October 3 at the Gym of Datong University in Datong, China.
The 12-round championship fight is promoted by Liu Gang of Max Power Promotions.
Pradabsri also known as “Petchmanee Kokietgym” is still unbeaten with 18 straight wins and 10 knockouts. He is a former WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental, WBO Oriental and PABA minimumweight title holder.
The 26-year old Pradabsri is currently training at the Thailand Highland Boxing Gym in Bangkok under Filipino trainer Jayvee Alipio.
Ironically, Xiong (26-7-1, 14 KOs) is now also being trained in Kunming, China by two other Filipino trainers Ninolito Jalnaiz and Franklin Albia, who are also both from the Highland Boxing Gym in the Philippines.
“Pagalingan na lang sila sa diskarte,” said international promoter-manager-matchmaker Brico Santig, proprietor of Highland Boxing Gym.
Pradabsri retained his PABA title via an 8th round technical knockout win against Elias Nggenggo last February 23 in Kanchanaburi before he won his previous outing by a UD over Silem Serang last May 25 in Bangkok.
Xiong, on the other hand, is a former Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) minimumweight and WBC International minimumweight title holder. Xiong, however, dropped his last fight by a split decision to Jose Antonio Jimenez of Colombia in Beijing last May 2016.
“He’s on a comeback trail. But he’s a strong fighter being a former champion,” said Santig.
Xiong won the vacant OPBF and WBC International minimumweight titles via a UD win over Crison Omayao in 2015. He earlier won the WBC International crown by a UD victory over Japanese Hiroya Yamanoto also in 2015.