Report and photos by Joe Koizumi

Is there professional boxing in Vietnam? Yes, there is. The WBA Asia Convention was held for three days from Friday by Vietnam Boxing Commission at Ho Chi Minh city—with the attendance of WBA president Gilberto Jesus Mendoza. It was organized by Chris Luu of VBC (Vietnam Boxing Commission) and Shadow Entertainment. The commemorative show was promoted at Saigon Sports Club on Sunday.

Avzalbek Kuranbaev (10-1-1, 7 KOs), a Tajikistani residing in Beijing, China, successfully retained his WBA Asia super welterweight belt as he utilized his speed and skills in defeating China’s Dacong Wang (8-4-1, 1 KO) by a unanimous decision over ten. The stout-built Wang occasionally scored with a solid shot at a time, but Kuranbaev connected with faster combinations to the face and the side of the belly, controlling the proceedings.

Hard-punching southpaw Chinese Lequan Wang (9-1, 6 KOs) acquired the vacant WBA Asia East super lightweight belt when he battered taller Thailander Anuson Thonglueang (21-6-1, 16 KOs), dropped him once in the fist and twice more in the next and decked a fine TKO victory midway in round two. The sturdy Chinese displayed his aggressiveness from the outset and overwhelmed the lanky Anuson with ease.

Unbeaten Vietnam-based Filipino Arvin Jhon Paciones (10-0, 6 KOs) looked sharp and speedy in polishing off Thailand’s Nanthanon Thongchai (13-3-2, 11 KOs) in the first round of a 110-pound eight rounder. Arvin Jhon, the grandson of once world-rated Rey Paciones (who dropped a unanimous nod to future WBC bantam champ Joichiro Tatsuyoshi in Osaka in 1991), is a tall flexible switch-hitter, still 19, who looked promising.

We witnessed a WBA Asia Vietnam 122-pound tournaments on the undercard. Le Van Hien outscored Le Van Cuong over four. Dinh Van Lenh scored a fine TKO over Tran Duc Khoa midway in the fourth and last round. Luong Trung Nguyen decisioned Son Gybg Vi over four. Truong Van Vinh won over Can Minh Thai. The winners are to square off each other in the semi-final within months.