Garap to face Thai fighter in title defence

By JACK AMI
PAPUA New Guinea and World Kick Boxing Federation Muay Thai welterweight champion Lee Garap will defend his crown against Thai Uten Chanavan tomorrow at the Sir John Guise Stadium.
With Garap not having fought in more than two years the challenge Chanavan poses is expected to test the 38 year-old but the Chimbu man is confident he can get the job done in front of his home crowd.
Garap said he had prepared well for the fight and was injury-free and feeling good about defending the WKBF belt for a second time.
Having been in the fight game for more than 17 years, Garap, who has 143 fights to his name with 132 wins, 10 losses and a draw, is unfazed about stepping into the ring once again to face a dangerous challenger.
“The good thing about the challenge is that we hardly know anything about each other and it will be full of suprises,” Garap said of his opponent Chanavan.
“All I know he is the Thailand champion with 200 fights in Thailand, Japan, Cambodia and Australia and he’s also the Lumpinee champion which is where Muay Thai originated from.”
Chanavan certainly has the stats to be a legitimate challenger having fought for the last 18 years — he has 211 fights for 145 wins, 63 losses and three draws.
“I know it won’t be an easy fight but I won’t surrender the title in front of my people,” Garap said.
“I have decided to defend my title in PNG and I’m looking forward to the fight after a great training camp.” Garap said the undercard fights would also feature the country’s next generation of kickboxers (male and female) fighting for local and WKBF-sanctioned titles.
“We are all polishing up to defend our respective titles and on the day who wins is the fighter that controls the rounds to the final bell.”
Garap said that 10 percent of the gate takings would be donated to the PNG Children’s Foundation.
Tickets are K25 and can be purchased at the Brian Bell Home Centre, Cool Stuff (Water Front) and J Mart (Erima).