First Vietnamese female boxer wins WBO Asia Pacific competition

Nguyen Thi Thu Nhi has become the first Vietnamese female boxer to win the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Asia Pacific competition in Cambodia on February 29.

Vietnamese boxer Nguyen Thi Thu Nhi (Photo: tuoitre.vn)
Vietnamese boxer Nguyen Thi Thu Nhi (Photo: tuoitre.vn)

Nhi, from the HCM City-based Cocky Buffalo Gym, defeated Kanyarat Yoohanngoh of Thailand in the WBO Asia Pacific Boxing Title Match’s minimum-weight discipline on points after 10 rounds.

The 24-year-old woman from the southern province of An Giang is a rising star in Vietnamese boxing.

In 2018, she defeated three-time world champion Filipino Gretchen Abaniel at the Victory 8 championship.

She will be the first Vietnamese to enter the WBO World Championship, which will be held in the Republic of Korea in April 2020.

Besides Nhi, four other Vietnamese fighters were also victorious on February 29.

World Boxing Council Asia champion Tran Van Thao beat Aries Buenavidez of the Philippines in the men’s six-round bantamweight. It was his 12th win but the first since he got married two weeks ago.

Rising star Sam Minh Phat took his fifth professional win after flooring Thai Gerttipong Kumsahwat in the second round of the men’s light-flyweight class after eight rounds.

Dinh Hong Quan bagged his victory by knocking out Ronnayut Boonraksa of Thailand in the fifth round of the eight-round lightweight category.

Meanwhile, Tran Thi Linh won in her pro debut, defeating Shin Bo Mi Re from the Republic of Korea in the women’s six-round super-featherweight.