Yuttapong Tongdee defeats Giuliano Fantone in the ‘The Fighter’ final match

The final round of “The Fighter” tournament in Thailand took place over the weekend, with the main event ending with a win for local credit Yuttapong Tongdee over France’s Giuliano Fantone in a card promoted by TL Boxing promotion that featured three exciting televised bouts showcasing some of Thailand’s best fighters and broadcasted live on Work Point Television.

The main event presented an intriguing matchup between Fantone (7-2, 4 KO) and Tongdee (15-0, 9 KO), who is currently Thailand’s WBA Asia 118Ib champion. What adds to the intrigue is Fantone’s journey through the tournament. He had fought against Thai YouTuber Supphoolphol Tipphol (3-1, 2 KO), alias “Joker,” in the first round and caused an upset with a unanimous decision victory. The young southpaw has been active, fighting six times in the last six months as part of the tournament, before being offered a bout against Tongdee.

The bout was contested over 10 rounds with Tongdee’s title on the line.

The fight commenced with Fantone maintaining distance and utilising his reach to pressure the experienced Tongdee with a long jab. However, Tongdee adapted throughout the fight, launching bursts of attacks to the body of his taller opponent. Despite a moment of fading in the middle rounds, Tongdee, drawing on his veteran experience, secured victory by unanimous decision over Fantone in an action-packed and entertaining bout.

At 30 years of age and ranked 12th with the WBA, a title shot is imminent for Tongdee, as his promoter, Mr. Taweesin Laosuwanwat of TL Boxing Promotions, has expressed interest in a matchup with Takuma Inoue (20-1, 5 KO). For Fantone, aged only 21, time is on his side. When asked about his feelings post-fight, the young boxer commented, “It was a close fight and a valuable experience that helped me gauge my level. This is the challenge I was seeking, and now I know where I stand. I’ll be back soon.”

Before entering the boxing world, Tongdee showcased his skills as a Muay Thai fighter and then transitioned to boxing, competing at a high level for Thailand as an amateur and being part of the national team. With a record of 15-0, the 30-year-old is now on the brink of a shot at challenging for a world title.

On the undercard, junior flyweight Thanongsak Simsri (34-1, 31 KO), rated at No. 10 by The Ring at that weight, returned to the ring after his victory over Miel Fajardo in Japan in April 2024. However, his bout over the weekend seemed more of a stay-busy fight for the 23-year-old O.P.B.F champion as he faced fellow countryman Assada Rakmit (4-6, 1 KO), securing victory by knockout in the second round of their scheduled six-round contest.

Earlier in the night, Chaiyapruk Chainikom (11-1, 5 KO), also known as “Boss,” competed in his fifth fight in the tournament against Vachayan Khamon (12-44-1, 4 KO). Chainikom secured a unanimous decision victory over Khamon, outboxing the crafty journeyman over six rounds.