Laos to have new boxing ring for SEA GAMES 2009
Top kick-boxers will display their fighting prowess in friendly Muay Lao bouts, to be jointly organised by the Lao National Sports Committee and the Vientiane Sports Division in March.
The bouts will take place in a newly built ring on Thadeua Road in That Khao village, sponsored by the ST Group of Companies, and will be telecast live on Lao National Television at 8.30pm every Friday.
“The broadcasts will help make Muay Lao more popular and encourage newcomers to the sport. We also plan to hold more boxing and pencak silat (a traditional Indonesian martial art) tournaments in the future,” said organising committee member, Mr Vanhxay Baophom.
“If we get a lot of spectators, we will certainly be organising more events,” said Mr Vanhxay.
At present the regular bouts held at Sokxay ring every Saturday are telecast live on the Lao Star channel.
“Sokxay ring, which has seen a lot of action in the past, was the first ever to be built for Muay Lao by the sports federation; this ring at That Khao built by the Vientiane Sports Division will be a welcome addition,” Mr Vanhxay said.
“The new ring will certainly help in the training of young boxers to get them to the level of the national team and ready for competition in the 25 th SEA Games in 2009,” he said.
“The young kick-boxers are very interested in fighting here at That Khao, as well as at Sokxay,” he said.
The ST Group has been the major sponsor for most competitions held at Sokxay ring in the past. They are currently looking to construct an indoor stadium to be used exclusively for Muay Lao in Vientiane later this year.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes
