Former powerhouse fighter Keo Rumchong, once a crowd favourite in the 60-65kg weight class, has returned to the ring after a decade away. He demonstrated his determination by claiming a hard-fought points win over Angolan fighter Deyson Sapalo.
The bout, held at the Bayon Stung Meanchey arena on September 14, was an 80kg matchup, with Rumchong planning to cut more weight before his next matchup.
Although he won, Rumchong was concerned that his form was not as sharp as it once was, and noted that fighting at 80kg is difficult for him since his opponents are usually bigger and taller.
“In this return fight, I think I was only at about 60–70%, not 100% like before. But I always remind myself and look for new techniques to bring to the ring for the fans. I will keep fighting as long as my strength allows, and right now I still have the strength to compete,” he said.
“My fans still support me, but the one request they keep making to me is about my weight. So I will make it happen — in future fights I will try to get down to 75kg or 72kg so as not to disappoint the fans. If I can reach 72kg, I know I can probably drop further to just over 60kg again,” added the 36-year-old.
In addition to his in-the-ring comeback, Rumchong is preparing to open his own boxing club, in Phnom Penh’s Por Senchey district. He already has five or six students training with him.
“My comeback is to earn income to support my family, as well as to buy equipment and run my own club. If fans can see my effort and join in by providing additional sponsorship, I’ll be even happier because it will give me the ability to open the club properly and train the next generation of fighters,” he explained.
In opening the doors to his own gym, his goal is to train students to have real fighting ability, especially bravery like his own — to be fighters who know how to fight, to accept loss when they lose, to accept victory when they win, and to know what it means to be knocked out. For him, there is no stepping far away from the boxing world.
“I won’t go far from boxing! As long as I have strength, I will keep fighting to support my own club. I really want to find regular sponsors to help cover the fighters’ food expenses and the rent for the gym. It costs around $500–600 per month, and could be even higher once more fighters come,” he noted.
“Kun Khmer is now growing stronger, with many sponsors backing it. That’s really good, because it gives fighters motivation to train without regret. Fighters who train hard and have strong ability can now earn good income. They can also use their reputation from boxing to start other businesses and generate more income,” he added.
