Published on November 08, 2005

Nongmai’s hopes dashed in the 7th, but she vows to fight on to victory. Aspiring world champion Nongmai Sor Siriporn’s dream of boxing her way to early redemption from a jail term for drug offences was dashed yesterday when she was defeated by her Japanese opponent in the World Boxing Council (WBC) women’s straw-weight world title bout.

The 27-year-old’s first professional attempt at the world championship came to an end when the referee stopped the fight in the seventh round of the 10-round fight. Down but not out, Nongmai said she would train harder and planned to make boxing her permanent career once she was free.

Nongmai’s determination that excellence in the ring would help her overcome her past was not in vain, as the Corrections Department chief yesterday said he would leave an option for parole open, despite her defeat.

“It depends on her whether she wants to continue training in our correctional facility or wants to get out early to privately pursue her boxing career outside,” said director-general Natthee Jitsawang.

Nongmai has served two years and five months of her four-year, six-month jail term for possessing 387 methamphetamine pills. She has boxed throughout her detention at the Central Correctional Institution for Young Offenders in Pathum Thani, and hoped for release on parole if she won the WBC world straw-weight title.

According to WBC records, Nongmai is the only boxer who has vied for a women’s world championship while in jail. Yesterday’s bout was held on the premises of the Pathum Thani Correctional Centre and broadcast live on UBC.

Japan’s Nanako Kikuchi won the fight when the referee stopped the bout in the seventh round, after seeing Nongmai was obviously outmatched by her opponent.

After the fight Nongmai said she intended to pursue a boxing career, regardless of whether she was paroled or not.

“I will train harder after this. I want to be a professional boxer after serving my sentence. That’s how I plan to redeem my troubled past,” she said.

Corrections chief Natthee yesterday said he thought Nongmai could become a good professional boxer if she received strong support from all parties concerned.

“The Corrections Department is willing to lend support to Nongmai and any other inmates who want to seriously pursue careers in sport,” he said.

WBC vice president and president of the Asian Boxing Council, Police General Kovid Bhakdibhumi, yesterday said Thailand now had several professional boxers with great potential to grasp world titles and it would be great to see a Thai female boxer winning a world championship.

Anan Paengnoy

The Nation

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