LEAD: WBA Asia Vietnam Tournament debuts with four aggressive bouts in HCMC

Vietnam is the first country in Asia chosen as the host of this the latest competition system to find the champion of each country members.

The tournament is one of activities of the WBA Asia Convention 2024, held for the first time in Vietnam. It is jointly organised by the Vietnam Boxing Federation's Vietnam Boxing Commission, WBA Asia and Shadow Entertainment.

Eight fighters will compete in the super bantamweight (55.34kg) category's three-minute four rounds at the Saigon Sports Club. They are the strongest and potential boxers who are members of the national boxing hubs.

The highlight of the night will be Arvin Jhon Paciones's third defence of his WBA Asia light flyweight (49kg) title, a Filipino member of the Saigon Sports Club, against challenger Nanthanon Thongchai of Thailand.

They will fight in a three-minute 12 rounds.

Paciones, 19, competed nine pro matches in two years. He won all with five knockouts. Meanwhile, Thongchai, also 19, played 14 matches winning 13 with 11 knockouts and lost two in his four-year career.

Two co-main card matches will feature the WBA Asia East super lightweight (63.5kg) title between Chinese Wang Lequan and Thai Anuson Thonglueang; and the WBA Asia super welterweight title defence between Avzalbek Kuranbaev of Tajikistan and Wang Dacong of China.

The night will be heat up with three prelims bouts of young boxers: Nguyen Thanh Giang vs Nguyen Tien Long in the all-Vietnamese 65kg category; Lam Dai Phat of Vietnam vs Arief Blader of

Indonesia in the 61kg; and Chien Vinh Tyson of Vietnam vs Frengky Rohi of Indonesia in the 54.5kg.

The fight night will be attended by WBA President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza and many other wellknown figures in the world boxing community such as Cecilia Communales, former female champion of the WBA Lightweight and referee Tony Weeks who has officiated nearly 900 pro matches along with more than 100 WBA Asia Convention 2024's delegates.