Cambodian sports specialist Vath Chamroeun has expressed his vision to transform Preah Sihanouk province into a major international hub for professional fighting events — similar to Las Vegas in the US, one of the world’s most famous combat-sports capitals.
Chamroeun, who serves as secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) and acting president of the International Kun Khmer Federation, believes the coastal province has significant economic potential, making it an ideal location to host world-class fighting events.
“When people talk about Las Vegas, they talk about the major world-class fights that are held there. We want Preah Sihanouk to become a place where we can invite the strongest fighters from around the world to compete. If the province, especially its casino associations, focus on this, experts from the International Kun Khmer Federation will work with them to make it an annual event,” he explained.
To achieve this vision, he urged all stakeholders to help raise the value of Cambodian Kun Khmer fighters, organise more competitions and encourage athletes to continue improving to world-class standards. This, he said, would attract global attention to Cambodia and establish Preah Sihanouk as a premier destination for high-level Kun Khmer title fights.
“This is our shared dream. We will work with the provincial governor, the provincial administration and with guidance from the Royal Government to mobilise participation. We will develop a clear plan and timeline,” added Chamroeun.
“We will create a brand for Preah Sihanouk, making it a province that hosts one of the world’s biggest professional Kun Khmer fights every year. We may even bring world champions here to compete. This requires proper planning and collective effort to turn the vision into reality.
“We will turn Preah Sihanouk into a province with many events. Do you know that Las Vegas hosts more than 100 events per month? We are not there yet, but we will move in that direction — creating more events to attract tourists, participants, businesses and investors to come here. Everything we do has a clear vision,” he continued.
Chamroeun shared his ambition during a press conference for the Kun Khmer World Championship 2025, held in Preah Sihanouk on Sunday, 23 November.
Acting secretary-general of the International Kun Khmer Federation Khov Chhay and deputy provincial governor Samuth Sothearith expressed their support for Chamroeun’s initiative. Other stakeholders also agreed that it would help raise the international profile of Kun Khmer and advance the development of Preah Sihanouk province.
The upcoming professional Kun Khmer World Championship title fights, featuring eight championship belts, will take place in Preah Sihanouk from December 17-20, with participation from 37 countries. The event will be the first step toward selecting contenders for the title of “King of Kun Khmer”. Any fighter who wins the world title three consecutive years will receive a golden belt and be recognized as the King of Kun Khmer.
“We will establish this brand — contests for the King of Kun Khmer. Strong, professional fighters will come to compete here. In two or three years, we will identify the first King of Kun Khmer in our history. Not only Cambodian fighters can earn this title; foreigners can also become King of Kun Khmer if they win according to the rules,” explained Chamroeun.
“Any Kun Khmer fighter — Cambodian or international — who wins the world title three years in a row will receive the golden belt in the third year. So from now until 2027, fighters will compete for this golden belt, but only those who achieve three consecutive victories will receive it,” he added.
