Tanes Ongjunta defeats Komgrich Nantapech in maiden defense of WBA Asia flyweight belt
Tanes Ongjunta (13-2, 7 KOs) made his first defense of his WBA Asia flyweight title against former world title challenger Komgrich Nantapech (36-12, 6 KOs) in Bangkok, Thailand, on August 3, 2024.
The fight did not disappoint. Ongjunta, trying to stay on the backfoot, used a fast jab to outbox Nantapech, who relied on his experience to apply pressure. Nantapech started to nullify Ongjunta’s jab and targeted the champion’s body. From rounds 3 to 6, Nantapech had Ongjunta in trouble, forcing him to fight on the inside and bullying him against the ropes.
The relentless pressure seemed to take a toll on Ongjunta, who used lateral movement to keep the former title challenger at bay. Just as Nantapech began to dominate in round 6, the tide shifted. Ongjunta landed several hard blows on the inside, catching Nantapech with a powerful right uppercut during an exchange. This sent Nantapech to the canvas, unable to beat the count as referee Pinit Prayadsab waved the fight off.
Ongjunta’s impressive display, coming from behind on the scorecards, culminated in a dramatic knockout victory, making for a highly entertaining fight over six rounds.
Both veterans of the sport, Ongjunta has represented Thailand internationally, winning silver medals twice in the Southeast Asian Games before turning professional in 2019.
He has faced formidable opposition in Thailand, including WBC junior flyweight champion Suriyan Satorn (61-14-1, 41 KOs), as well as Adrian Lerasan (14-6, 6 KOs), and Jakrawut Majungoen (44-5-2, 23 KOs). In his last fight, Ongjunta lost by knockout to undefeated contender Dave Apolinario (20-0, 14 KOs) at the famous Korakuen Hall in Japan.
Ongjunta, 32, and Nantapech, 35, both seasoned fighters, made for an intriguing matchup. Nantapech, with 48 professional bouts and 237 rounds under his belt, had previously challenged for the vacant IBF world flyweight title against Donnie Nietes (43-2-6, 23 KOs) and took a unanimous decision loss to former WBA flyweight world champion Juan Carlos Reveco (41-5, 20 KOs).
In the undercard, another upset occurred as Chaiyapruk Chainikom (11-2, 5 KOs) was stopped by Brazilian Vinicius Barros Santos (2-0, 1 KO) in the third round as part of the Fighter Tournament. Giuliano Fantone (8-2, 5 KOs), who had previously taken a unanimous decision loss to Yuttapong Tongdee (15-0, 9 KOs), returned with a tune-up fight, securing a second-round win over Chris Wong (0-7, 4 KOs).
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