Image credit: LekSMMTV

Current Lumpini Stadium welterweight champion Rafi Bohic continued to carve out his place as one of the top foreign fighters ever to compete on the Thai stadium circuit Tuesday night, taking a 5th round TKO victory over recent WMC world champion and ONE Championship fighter Chamuaktong Fightermuaythai.

Rafi’s size and power were apparent from the offset, landing hard leg kicks and left body punches to keep Chamuaktong backing up towards the ropes. Chamuaktong was content to move backward, inviting the Frenchman to follow him into clinch exchanges where he has been known to have success with fight-stopping knees. Through the traditionally higher-scoring 3rd and 4th rounds both fighters had their moments, with Rafi using a long guard and hard elbows to intercept Chamuaktong’s clinch entries and doing damage on the inside with powerful round knees that scored with visible bruising to Chamuaktong’s rib cage. When the two were tied up Rafi struggled to fight off Chamuaktong’s vice like grip, with the Thai controlling the arms and upper torso to steer Rafi around the ring and land a number of trips. Rafi’s stoic demeanour gave little respect to the takedown-oriented clinch work of Chamuaktong though, battling through and continuing to press forward with powerful low kicks and body attacks.

As the fight went into the 5th round it appeared both fighters were content to run out the clock, however the pair reengaged and Rafi landed another thudding leg kick that seemed to be all Chamuaktong could handle, with the Thai turning away and the referee intervening to stop the contest.

With wins over internationally renowned Manachai Yokkaosaenchaigym and the decorated Chamuaktong in the last month, recent news that Rafi has signed with ONE Championship suggests that he will take his talents abroad after a successful few years in the Thai stadiums. Additionally, in a couple of weeks a hotly anticipated bout between Australian Chadd Collins and Brazilian Luis Cajaiba will determine the new WBC World welterweight champion in a rare foreigner vs foreigner Lumpinee stadium bout. This is a bout Rafi will undoubtedly be watching with a close eye as he sits in the top spot in the WBC world rankings, and holds a knockout victory over the divisions most recent champion Manachai.