Khov Chhay, president of the Khmer Boxing Federation, has announced that boxing events at all venues and television stations will be suspended from this week. The suspension will remain in effect until the ongoing border conflict subsides and the situation returns to normal.
Chhay acknowledged that some matches were still held last weekend because they had already been arranged — including fighter lineups and contracts with sponsors — which made it difficult to cancel at the last minute. However, he said that from now on, the federation has formally notified all stations to halt all boxing events.
“Last week, a few stations had already finalised their fight cards and sponsorship deals. Cancelling suddenly would have disrupted their operations and caused losses, so we allowed them to proceed. But now, we’ve ordered a complete halt to all matches until further notice. That means until the border conflict eases and normalcy returns, we will not authorise any more events,” he explained.
The federation has issued a formal announcement to TV broadcasters and partner companies nationwide, requesting them to implement the suspension responsibly.
“Due to the current situation, the federation requests the suspension of all Kun Khmer boxing events across all television stations and fight venues under our jurisdiction, effective immediately, until further notice,” said the July 29 notice.
Speaking about the indefinite pause, Nin Phirum, vice-president of the federation, emphasised that it is necessary to support the government during the current crisis. He noted that boxers, trainers, technical officials and the public all understand and have not raised any objections.
“Our coaches, officials, athletes, and the public fully understand that our country is facing war. Therefore, this temporary suspension is necessary. There is nothing to celebrate or cheer about in boxing while our fellow citizens are suffering along the border,” he said.
“We must suspend activities in line with government policy. The Ministry of Information has also issued announcements. That’s why the Federation must take this measure while we await further instructions and guidance from higher authorities. Everyone — including athletes, officials, the executive committee and the public — understands the situation clearly, so there have been no protests or complaints,” he added.
