KUCHING: Fifty 50 amateurs and professional MuayThai fighters from Sarawak Southern Zone and from Peninsular Malaysia will take part in the inaugural Bandarayaku MuayThai Championship to be held at DBKU Amphitheatre, Jalan Budaya, here, this Saturday and Sunday (Aug 12-13).
Kuching City North Commission (DBKU and Sarawak MuayThai Association are collaborating together in holding the two-day championship.
According to principal deputy director of DBKU, Haji Morshidi Bin Ahmad at a press conference Wednesday, the collaboration between and MuayThai Sarawak is given at short notice.
“Although given a short notice, DBKU is giving its full backing and support to this tournament. Hopefully, next year we can collaborate again to organise the championship,” he said.
According to Tuan Haji Norizan Ibrahim, deputy treasurer of Sarawak Muay Thai Association, there are 15 bouts for the Southern Zone Selection involving age categories of 16 to 20 years old on Saturday.
Southern Zone comprises Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Bau and Lundu.
“On Sunday, there are 10 bouts for the professional and the final for the Bandarayaku Challenge Trophy. There will be bouts for female, children and professionals and there are four fighters from Semananjung coming for the pro category,” he said.
“Next year, we hope tol hold a bigger championship than this year,” he said, adding that this is the first step in fostering closer relationship with DBKU.
“MuayThai is a renown sport throughout the world and there are competitions now and then. We hope this kind of collaboration can further develop the MuayThay sport in Sarawak, he said.
According to him, Sarawak had sent three MuayThay fighters to Thailand and out of them, one won a bronze.
Sarawak is quite renown in MuayThai, although it is still new in the sport, he said.
Haji Morshidi recalled how DBKU started off with Siol Mountain Bike.
“We started off with Siol Mountain Bike in a small way like what we are doing now. Gradually, Siol Mountain Bike Challenge is now on the world map. Those mountain bikers like to participate in the Siol Mountain Bike Challenge in Kuching.
“I believe if we are consistent, this championship can be one of the tourists attractions. We started in a small manner, and given time to grow, it can become an international event. There is an opportunity here,” he said.
“With the commitment from both parties, we see that this MuayThai champion can go further in Kuching, he added.
Haji Morshidi said the Mayor has personally donated the challenge trophy worth about RM1,000.
“With such personal involvement in MuayThay, we hope they can become our agents and ambassadors to the villages where they will promote the sport as well as indirectly eradicate other social ills,” he said.
