2018 IBF Silk Road Champions Tournament & IBF World Muay Thai Championship will be held this Saturday (December 8) at the TRUE Arena Hua Hin, Thailand.

This is the first time that IBF Silk Road Champions Tournament held in a country outside Chinese territory. It is an echo of the 5th anniversary of the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative. The event also marks a new step for IBF B&R (IBF Belt and Road Region), since the IBF Silk Road Champions Tournament has finished its debut season in China last year, its first “coming out” means it is taking the real step to promote the further development and prosperity of professional boxing in the countries along the belt and road area.

Wang Ruihang, the president of IBF B&R and IBF China, said: “2018 is a special year to IBF. On the one hand, IBF has held 100 games in China since it successively established the IBF China Professional Boxing Tournament in 2015 and IBF Silk Road Champions Tournament in 2017. On the other hand, in the second season of IBF Silk Road Champions Tournament, we step foot on Thailand, it marks a new start of our development.”

The boxers who will participate in the game come from China, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Japan and Uzbekistan. They will compete for the following divisions: 118 lbs, 122 lbs, 130 lbs, 154 lbs. In order to embody the local cultural elements and promote Muay Thai culture, a top Muay Thai bout is arranged in the event.

As the highlight, famous Chinese Thai boxing fighter Li Baoming will fight for the IBF Muay Thai Cruiserweight golden belt. Li has won the Champion of World Professional Muay Thai Federation, World Muaythai Council and Chinese National Thai Boxing Tournament. If Li could be able to win the belt, he will be the first Chinese fighter to possess IBF Muay Thai golden belt.

Suwat Liptapanlop, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand said: “Thailand is one of the most active countries in the Belt and Road area, I believe the holding of the IBF Silk Road Champion Tournament and the IBF World Muay Thai Championship will help the country to attract more tourists, especially sport fans to visit Thailand and further enhance the cultural communication and mutual understanding.”

The TRUE Arena where the event will be held is a world-class sports venue in Hua Hin which is the famous holiday resort and has long been loved by the royal family of Thailand and tourists worldwide.