Wanlop Sitpholek becomes new Muay Thai King of the Ring at Prison!

For the first time ever did a Thailand prison open it’s gates for male fighters to come in and fight!On 28th Februaryh, the director of Nonthaburi Correctional Institute Mr. Aree Chaleysuk and Mr. Frank Sitpholek (Pattaya Thailand) organised a Muay Thai event which was unique in its kind! Normally it is impossible to come in to the "Bangkok Hilton" without registering and identifying at a prison, but for this event the prison made an exception to show a little of the inside of the prison to the rest of the world. The occasion was also used to raise some money for the prison library and to buy some sport equipment for the sports hall in the prison. At 13.00 hours the show started with some fights between two Thais, mostly among prisoners. At 15.00 hours the main event started which was aired by the two most important live Thai TV channels as wel as with the Pattaya TV station. Over 500 vistors, mostly Farangs, Thai name for foreigners, were watching the show which was held in the open under very warm conditions (about 32”C).The Thai music was performed by a life band as is traditional in Thailand muay thai events.The main fight of the afternoon was of course the title fight of "King of the Ring", between Wanlop Sitpholek (Thailand) and Abdulmalik Gadzhiev (Russia). The tall Russian weighed in a bit heavier as the raigning champion for King of the Rings in K-1 rules 72,5 kg., Wanlop Sitpholek. This didn’t overshadow the fight, so we witnessed a thrilling and sensational fight.. The Russian proved to be very explosive and dangerous with his elbow techniques but he wasn’t able to hit the Thai with a clear one. In round 4 Wanlop through a left hook to the chin of the Russian who went down for a 8-count. He recovered very quickly, but Wanlop kept continuing showing to be the better one. After 5 rounds the public went crazy of enthousiasme, the Thai prisoners who were also watching from behind the bars made a lot of noise celebrating, what they already understood, the new Muay Thai King of the Ring super world champion Wanlop Sitpholek!The belt was presented by the managing director of Kings of the Ring, Mr. Harry Gorian (Croatia) to the president of WMC, General Chetta Thanajaro (Thailand) who proudly gave the belt to the new Muay Thai champion. Among the VIP guests was also IFMA president Sakchye Tapsuwan. Among the spectators that were present at this event were, K-1 star Ray Sefo, Thai legendary fighter Sangtiennoi, French Jean-Charles Skarbowsky (nowadays living in Thailand) and also Arslan Magomedov from Russia who was the original opponent of Wanlop, but had to be replaced because of his injury.The organisors are now talking and planning more fights in the prison, next event will probably be held on the 9th of March