Yesterday I came home, ate dinner and went to bed. Today I woke up, read emails, took a look at the press conference photos and did some reading. Didn’t do any writing though because I ran out of time. At 11:30 I walked down the street, caught a taxi and headed to the mall.
Went to a restaurant, had some fried rice with chicken and a fried egg and then realized I had cash but didn’t have my wallet. I didn’t have it home. I vaguely remembered leaving my wallet at home but thought I had brought my phone with me. I jump in a cab, tell the driver to take me home, and then to Nonthaburi. I get home and find my wallet straight away but no sign of the phone. I call my number – no answer. I grab my wife’s phone and head to the fight. I dawns on me that I left my phone in the taxi to the mall and apparently the driver had no intention of giving it back. So far, no one has answered. I cancelled the SIM and the number on the way to the fight. The SIM/phone can receive calls for two more days but they won’t be able to call out. So my new phone is probably history and I’ll need to buy a new one – which I really don’t have the money for.
Today was Veeraphol Sahaprom’s fight with Vusi Malinga. A couple of days ago I received an e-mail from a South African writer who informed me Malinga was a pretty good fighter who could bang and it wouldn’t surprise him if he beat Sahaprom. Then I heard Malinga was quite a bit taller than Sahaprom and I figured this is probably the end for the old Thai. Sure enough, my premonition can true.
It took me two hours to get to the venue – it should have taken 45 minutes but I had the absolute worst taxi driver ever. HE asked 4 or 5 people where the school was (a makeshift ring) and even when he was told where to go he got lost. I tried telling him that he’s going in the wrong direction but all I got was “you don’t know.” The last straw came when I asked two girls where the school was and the driver told me, “there’s no boxing there – you obviously don’t know what you’re talking about.”
These girls knew where the school was and yet, he got lost again. He stopped – after I yelled at him to let me out – and told me he’d find out for sure. I dropped the 200 baht in his seat while he talked to the people, got out, walked down the street, and jumped into another taxi. Ten minutes later I was at the event. Thank Buddha.
Malinga went after Sahaprom right away. In the first round it became apparent Sahaprom was a shell of his former self. Every punch hurt him and I didn’t think he was going to last long. He was flat-footed and backing up. His punches were slower and Malinga hit him at will. It was sad.
In the second round he did a little better but was staggered throughout the round. He got hit more and more in round three and Malinga could sense the end was near. An uppercut dropped Sahaprom who fell face first to the canvas. He rose, wobbly. The bell sounded and saved him from further damage.
In the final round, Malinga simply opened up on him while he was against the ropes. A few shots got thru and referee Bruce McTavish stepped in and stopped the brutality. No one complained.
After the bout a dejected Sahaprom gave Malinga his props. His manager, Suchart, informed me they’ll have to wait and see if this is the end for Veeraphol. I hope so – he was a proud champion and I’d hate to see him take anymore punishment. And he will eventually get punished again. The time has come for him to hang it out – without a doubt.
Malinga told me he planned for the knockout and that Sahaprom has seen his better days. The South African will now go after Hozumi Hasegawa who flattened his opponent in two rounds a few hours ago.
All in all, a pretty sad day but this is boxing. The young eventually beat the old and the old either stop fighting or get beat up.
So it’s been a busy two days and tomorrow I’ll pick up the pieces – write – and send out some emails. There’s alot going on now…
Vusi Malinga after the stoppage.
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Posted by fareastphotos 
