Tenkai Tsunami dominates Siriporn Taweesuk in thrilling clash of former titleholders
An enthralling bout took place in Thailand on Monday as two former world champions collided at the Wat Pak Bo School in Bangkok. The WBC Silver strawweight title was on the line as former two-weight titleholder Tenkai Tsunami (32-13-1, 19 KOs) moved down to 105 pounds for the first time to take on Siriporn Taweesuk […]
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An enthralling bout took place in Thailand on Monday as two former world champions collided at the Wat Pak Bo School in Bangkok. The WBC Silver strawweight title was on the line as former two-weight titleholder Tenkai Tsunami (32-13-1, 19 KOs) moved down to 105 pounds for the first time to take on Siriporn Taweesuk (43-6, 25 KOs). Both boxers, seasoned veterans with a combined 95 bouts, brought a wealth of experience into the ring. Taweesuk at 41 years old and Tenkai at 39 made for a captivating match as both women leveraged their extensive careers.
Hailing from LopBuri province, Thailand, Taweesuk began her journey as a successful Muay Thai fighter under the name Samson before transitioning to professional boxing in 2005. Her career took a dramatic turn when she was imprisoned for selling amphetamines, receiving a 10-year sentence. Despite this setback, Taweesuk challenged for her first WBC strawweight world title against Nanako Kikuchi (12-4-1, 5 KOs) in 2006 while still incarcerated at Klong Prem Prison in Bangkok, losing by unanimous decision. Under the same circumstances a year later, she captured the vacant WBC junior flyweight title by defeating Ayaka Miyao (25-10-2, 6 KOs). Granted early parole after serving seven years, Taweesuk went on to defend her title three times.
On the other side of the ring, Manami Arima, alias Tenkai Tsunami, from Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, has had an illustrious career. Ranked as the third-best female junior flyweight by The Ring magazine in 2020 (see current ratings), Tenkai also debuted in 2005 and first claimed the WBA junior bantamweight title in 2009 by defeating southpaw Xiyan Zhang of China at the iconic Korakuen Hall. She defended her belt multiple times before losing to fellow Japanese fighter Naoko Yamaguchi (22-4-3, 18 KOs). In 2018, Tenkai added the WBO junior flyweight title to her accolades by defeating Chaoz Minowa (8-4, 6 KOs) and defended this title five times before losing to current undisputed strawweight champion Seniesa Estrada (26-0, 9 KOs).
The bout began with Tenkai maintaining her distance and landing sharp jabs to keep Taweesuk at bay. Utilizing lateral movement and precise punches, Tenkai showcased superior footwork and head movement, clearly outboxing her Thai opponent. Despite Taweesuk’s experience and resilience, she struggled against Tenkai’s combinations and was often caught at will. While Taweesuk showed her toughness by going the distance, it was evident that her best days are behind her. Post-fight, her trainer, David John Treharne, revealed that Taweesuk plans to move to Japan to work as a Muay Thai trainer, signaling the end of her boxing career.
In a post-fight interview, translated for The Ring, Tenkai expressed satisfaction with her performance: “This was my first time fighting at strawweight. I was worried about the weight, but everything was okay. I felt good today, fighting all 10 rounds without being tired or exhausted.” Addressing questions about her strategy and future, she added, “If there was an opportunity to go for the knockout, I would have taken it, but Taweesuk was tougher than I expected. Or maybe because I went down a weight division, my power isn’t there.” Looking ahead, Tenkai aims to challenge for titles at flyweight and junior flyweight, with promoter Taishi Aoshima hinting at a potential rematch with Estrada.
Both Tenkai and Taweesuk have shown remarkable resilience throughout their careers. Taweesuk’s journey from prison to the boxing world and Tenkai’s decade-long wait to become a world champion highlight their tenacity. Nineteen years later, Tenkai Tsunami stands as the new WBC silver minimumweight champion, while Taweesuk bids farewell to the ring, both leaving an indelible mark on the sport.
The undercard also featured an exciting bout in which undefeated Thai contender Wira Mikham (15-0, 10 KOs) knocked out Daisuke Sugita (8-5, 4 KOs) in the eighth round. The fight, a thrilling back-and-forth slugfest, saw Sugita down twice before Mikham applied relentless pressure to secure the win.
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