Thailand's Pichit retains WBA title
Posted: Saturday February 20, 1999 10:15 AM
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Thailand's Pichit Siriwat defeated Joma Gamboa of the Philippines by a unanimous decision Saturday to retain his World Boxing Association junior flyweight crown.
Judges from Finland, Japan and Trinidad scored the fight 118-112, 116-113 and 118-110, respectively, all in the favor of the Thai champion.
Throughout the scheduled 12-round fight, held on the southern Thai island of Samui, both boxers treaded cautiously. Blows were traded a few times but neither was willing to slug it out toe-to-toe.
However, with solid counter punches, including stiff lefts to the head and straight rights to the body, the Thai fighter was able to accumulate enough points to earn him victory against the Filipino, who was the top-ranked challenger.
Gamboa, who came into the fight with a record of 16-3, with 12 knockouts, got Pichit into serious trouble in the beginning of the fourth round with a stiff right and a left hook that rocked him off his feet, but the rope kept him from hitting the canvas.
A similar incident occurred in the seventh round but on both occasions Pichit was able to quickly regain his composure and return to his fight plan of sidestepping counter-punching.
The victory boosted Pichit's record to 20-1-1, with 11 knockouts.
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