By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Thai challenger Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym is reportedly nine pounds over the super bantamweight limit of 122 pounds for his WBA title fight against Bernard Dunne in Dublin, Ireland on September 26.
Siam Sport reported that Dunne, on the other hand was in mourning over the death of fellow Irish boxer and Beijing Olympic Games bronze medalist Darren Sutherland recently.
Poonsawat (38-1, 27 KO’s) was reportedly six pounds overweight when he first arrived to Dublin, but after a large dinner that included a whole salmon and a piece of steak, the Thai challenger shocked his manager by weighing 131 pounds.
His trainer however pointed out that Poonsawat had not been exercising for two days due to the long journey to Ireland, and should be able to lose weight once the challenger resumed his normal training schedule .
Thai media following Poonsawat said the trainer’s claims turned out to be valid as the fighter was able to lose four pounds after a day of jogging and gym sessions. Poonsawat himself said he was no longer worried about his weight, believing that he would be able to make weight in time.
The Thai boxer and his entourage, which included his manager, trainer, and a sportswriter were reportedly impressed by the hospitality of Dunne’s promoter Brian Peter who took them sightseeing and hosted a feast at a local restaurant.
The Thai team was told that Dunne (28-1, 15 KO’s) had been avoiding the public as he mourned for Beijing Games bronze medalist Sutherland, who made headlines around the world earlier this month after committing suicide.
The pre-fight press conference which was scheduled on September 22 was postponed to September 24 due to a conflict with Sutherland’s funeral, but Peter confirmed that everything else including the fight itself would not be postponed.
