Cambodian Kun Khmer legend Thoeun Theara could only cry in regret after being eliminated in the semifinals of the 8-Men Tournament at the GANZBERG World Kun Khmer Fight, organised by Town Arena last night. Russian fighter Vassili Thaikilla ultimately claimed the championship belt.
The event, held in Phnom Penh’s Kambol district, saw Theara not only competing for the 73kg belt as a hometown fighter, but also for a “Golden Can” prize from the main sponsor — had he won the title. However, all those hopes evaporated.
Although Theara defeated China’s Li Po Ling on points in the first round, his semifinal bout against long-time Belarussian rival Pavel Grishanovich went poorly. He lost on points and was eliminated.
Theara, who suffered a cut above his left eyebrow, wept in sorrow over the loss — a stark contrast to his past performances, when he won both previous 8-Men Tournaments, including one where he defeated Pavel in the final.
Representatives of GANZBERG’s sponsors, including Tommy Kim, adviser to Town TV and president of the IPCC Foundation in Cambodia, offered Theara moral support. They encouraged him to train harder and prepare for future bouts.
“We lost on points, not by knockout! A KO is a different story — and the points weren’t far apart. You have to keep fighting. In Kun Khmer, there’s no room for giving up,” Kim told the emotional Theara.
However, many fans were critical of Theara’s defeat, saying his performance level had dropped compared to his previous tournament campaigns. They believe that recently, he has neglected his training, spending time on other activities instead of strengthening his conditioning. This, they say, has made him tire quickly and weakened his striking power.
“Crying won’t win back support! Only victory will. People might feel sorry for Theara this time, but if he loses again, no one will sympathise. He needs to train harder, not cry for pity after losing,” said one fan.
Khim Socheat, a top referee of the Khmer Boxing Federation, shared his observations.
“In this match, both Theara and Pavel didn’t fight as sharply as before. If they had both fought at full strength, it would have been a great match. But this one wasn’t impressive — both seemed off,” he noted.
As for Grishanovich, his final match for the 8-Men Tournament title ended in defeat. Russian powerhouse Vassili Thaikilla knocked him down with a knee strike in Round 3, forcing a standing count. Thaikilla went on to win on points.
With this victory, Thaikilla became the 8-Men Tournament champion, having won all three of his bouts: he knocked out Australian fighter Nivek Hook in Round 1, then beat Iranian Majid Shahriyari on points in the semifinals, before defeating Grishanovich.
