Mindanao's Mark John Yap wound back the clock in Ho Chi Minh City tonight, with a brutal display over national team prospect Nguyễn Hà Minh.
Yap was returning from a couple of months break from the sport, celebrating the birth of his first daughter Yuri early this year. It was noted at the weigh-in for the Lightweight 61kg clash, that Yap looked a little soft next to his taller and ripped Vietnam opponent.
The Journey Man was given a warm reception by the crowd, who were divided as to how a pro veteran would match up with the slick Vietnam boxer in a highly paced 4 round format.
Nguyễn Hà Minh is only 20 years of age, but is a highly touted member of the Vietnam team,
He is tall, and boxes with beautiful range, has fast hands, and he seamlessly angles between stances to land counters with ridiculous ease.
The first two rounds were arguably won by the local star. The Philippines Yap pressed constantly, but his timing and distance were a little off, and Minh often punished his enterprise with counters.
Despite being outlanded, Yap was undeterred, and always looked significantly dangerous.
Cracks started to appear in the armour of the Vietnam star in the third, as Yap began to find his range, and the momentum shifted noticeably. The Journey Man was walking through Minh's efforts with impunity, and was really chopping his rival to the body. Yap was relentless, and went "old school" brutal in the final round, where he dropped his Vietnam opponent with sadistic attacks to the torso. Nguyễn Hà Minh stoicism saw him meet the final bell, yet had it been a longer bout, the stoppage was perilously near.
Mark John Yap was simply devastating tonight, and produced such a dominant performance on foreign soil, that he was hailed as the winner by unanimous decision.
It was a credible showing by hot national team member Nguyễn Hà Minh, and he acknowledged that Yap's strength and experience overwhelmed him in the home stretch. He will benefit a lot from his encounter with a hardened professional.
But the big news is - YAP IS BACK !
The evergreen killer from Cagayan de Oro will return to the ring in a big, soon to be announced fight, this coming July.
VSP PRO 10 boxers being part of history and putting ink on their fight posters.
Who knows who will be the next Vietnam champion - maybe he is in this photo even !
Don't forget - next event is Saturday December 23rd and it will be the biggest show of the year, si don't miss it!
And if you want to fight in 2024 - we want to hear from you. Just click the link below :
#vietnamboxingorganization #vspboxing #Webthethao #vsppro #quickom #boxingvietnam #VSPPromotions #vbo
When you're talking boxing, you're talking tough and Mexican in the same breath !
So Vietnam's Tran Van Thao aka "the Trigger", despite a ring absence of more than a year, wasn't looking for anything easy when he chose Mexican Kenbun Torres as his opponent.
As you can see, both boys were SHREDDED and turned up in DEMON shape at the weigh-in, and this fight lived up to all the hype.
Great job boys !
Tran Van Thao will be back in the ring in January, on a huge card that will include Genesis Servania and another top
Philippines boxer (soon to be announced) at the Paradise City in Incheon Korea.
Vietnam
will like have another representative in the form of the "Hanoi Hitman" Nguyễn Văn Hải, and also a recent visitor from Botswana
Moabi Ngaka is rumoured for possible inclusion.
Watch the full fight here : https://youtu.be/JFyFGS8juow?si=kBNMrmYQVIKIMjMW
