Saturday night saw local gym Macao Boxing House hold a charity boxing event with 35,730 patacas (US$4,480) raised going to Macau Special Olympics.
Titled in Chinese “Once You’re High You Will Explode”, it was a night of fast and furious boxing and kick-boxing bouts in front of a boisterous capacity crowd at the Macao Boxing House gym in Areia Preta.
The event saw amateur fighters from Macao Boxing House plus local gyms Life Project and Chong Wa Athletic Association taking part. There was also a special performance by two members of Macau Special Olympics and two Macao Boxing House pugilists performing a boxing related choreography.
There were five boxing and five kick-boxing bouts throughout the evening each loudly cheered on by the respective supporters.
The first fight was a kick-boxing bout with Io Ka Hou against Wong Kin Kuong.
Macau Special Olympics CEO Hetzer Siu Yu Hong was also on hand to present a prize to the winner of the first boxing bout, Macao Boxing House’s Kane Hoi Ka Heng who beat his opponent Leo Chi Sam 29-28, 30-27, 29-28.
Hoi told The Macau Post Daily after the fight, “I felt more nervous before the fight but I am very relaxed now. I did feel that I was not active enough during the fight.”
The second boxing bout saw female pugilists Tang Choi Ieng against Huang Li Ya. It was an excellent fight and Macao Boxing House’s Tang won comfortably on a unanimous decision of 30-27. After the fight she said, “I feel very excited and good, I was not nervous at all and it was easier than I thought. I want to do more fights.”
The third boxing bout saw heavy-weight Huang Guo Qing taking on Aliaksandr Pukala. Huang representing Macao Boxing House lost on a unanimous decision and said, “I was so nervous I didn’t sleep well last night and didn’t do well.” He added, “I have never come across an opponent so tall and strong before.”
After this bout Macao Boxing House pugilists Tang and Hoi were joined in the ring by two members of Macau Special Olympics Choi Nok Io and Chang Chak Kuan for a boxing related dance entitled “Unified Dance Inspired by Boxing”.
In the fourth boxing bout Leong Man Hin fought Lam Ka Fei, despite being much smaller than Lam, Hin was extremely fast and won on a unanimous decision of 30-27. A third win for Macao Boxing House. After the fight he said, “I was surprised he was so much taller, but I fought better than before and I am very happy.”
The final boxing bout was Alex Ao Hon Lek against Ng Man Long. As Ao had fought two professional fights for Macao Boxing House in the past he was expected to win. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case and he lost on a unanimous decision of 27-30. After the fight Ao said, “I have never fought a southpaw before so I couldn’t use my technique and couldn’t control the fight. I must train more against left-handers.”
The kick-boxing part of the evening also saw Io Ka Hou vs Wong Kin Kuong, U Hou Tim vs Ng Kin Pan, Lau Chun Kit vs Lei Si Weng, Ho Weng Hou vs Au Ieong Fu.
But the main event was the fight between Jam Chan Kam Cheong and Jacob Anthony Davies, with a lion-dancer leading Chan into the arena.
The crowd became even more vocal as the two fighters entered the ring and the crescendo of sound became deafening as the fight progressed, shouts of “Jam” and “Jacob” rang around the gym.
When Chan was announced the winner there was a huge roar of approval.
The Macau Post Daily spoke to Chan, the owner of Sauce Salaboratory and one of the event sponsors, after the fight, and he said, “I do not fight regularly and I am not really a member of a club. I came to fight as Macao Boxing House asked me if I would like to take part. I have had seven fights and have won six and drawn one.”
Cheong Wai, owner of and coach at Macao Boxing House said on Saturday night, “I would like to do this kind of event three or four times a year. It was a great night tonight.”
Macau Special Olympics CEO Hetzer Siu Yu Hong (left) presents the trophy to Macao Boxing House pugilist Kane Hoi Ka Heng after winning his fight on Saturday at the Macao Boxing House gym in Areia Preta.
Macao Boxing House fighters Kane Hoi Ka Heng (back left), Tang Choi Ieng (front left) dance with Macau Special Olympics members Choi Nok Lo (back right) and Chang Chak Kuan in the “Unified Dance Inspired by Boxing” choreography on Saturday night at Macao Boxing House.
Jam Chan Kam Cheong poses in the ring after winning his kick-boxing bout on Saturday night at Macao Boxing House. Photos Lesley Wells
