Two Thai boxers get their campaign off to a winning start in Rio
Two Thai boxers led by former IBF flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng made a winning start to their quest for Olympic glory to make it through the last-16 round of the boxing competition at Rio Games on Sunday.
Sailom Ardee was the first Thai fighter to compete in the welterweight class at the Games and he managed to scrape past Belarussian Pavel Kastramin by clinching a split decision victory. The 30-year-old will face either Turkey’s Onur Sipal or Simeon Chamov of Bulgaria in the next round.
In the lightweight division, the 36-year-old Amnat, one of three professional fighters to compete along with amateurs at the Games, faced a far easier task than his team mate in his opening bout against Argentina’s Ignacio Perrin.
Amnat, who picked up the sport while serving his prison sentence, comfortably clinched a unanimous decision to set up the last-16 bout against Sofiane Oumiha, who also eased past Honduras’ Teofimo Rivera in the preliminary round.
