YOKKAO 41-42: Dynamite Dublin Night

August 7, 2019

YOKKAO 41-42 wrote a new page not just for our promotion's history but also in the history of Muay Thai. This was the first-ever YOKKAO Ireland event which also saw the crowning of a new WBC Diamond world champion. The double event also saw a record-breaking number of KOs with over half the fights on the main card ending in stoppages.

More than 2000 fans from all over Ireland and UK showed up at Dublin's National Basketball Arena to attend YOKKAO 41-42 which was broadcasted live on Facebook and YouTube to fans around the world. It was an electrifying atmosphere as the ardent fans cheered on their local heroes and Muay Thai stars.

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10 exciting bouts on the undercard kicked off the event with the arena already packed before the start of the main card. It was one war after another as Irish competitors went all out on their promotional debuts.

KO of the Night:
Liam Harrison vs Cristian Faustino

Both fighters put on an explosive war that thrilled everyone in attendance. The Hitman put the pressure on from the get-go but Faustino showed no sign of backing off. Elbows, knees and all manners of weapons were thrown from either side with Harrison going for the finish. The fight was called to a stop after the end of round 4 when Faustino was deemed unfit to continue. Despite a TKO loss, the Italian won the hearts and respect of everyone in the arena, including and especially his opponent, Harrison.

Fight of the Night:
Spencer Brown vs Stefan Korodi

Both fighters came into the matching looking to make a statement. Korodi was on home turf while Spencer was riding on a 4-fight winning streak. Spencer outscored in the first round and dominated the second round with relentless head and body shots. Korodi was visibly rocked and the fight looked to be stopped by the referee at any point only to be saved by the bell. The Irish made a great comeback in the next few rounds to go the distance and the fight ended in a majority decision draw.

YOKKAO 42
The intense action continued after a brief intermission, delivering 4 back-to-back stoppages to bring the emotions of the crowd to an all-time high.

KO of the Night:
Stephen ONeil vs Momo Kale

With four knockouts to choose from, this was considered by many to be the most outstanding stoppage. The welterweight bout between 2 Irish favorites was a non-stop back-and-forth exchange with both sides dropping heavy hands and elbows. The fight looked to be going the way of Kale but ONeil's persistent spinning attacks found its target with less than 30 seconds left to the end of round 5. It was a stunning finisher and highlight reel knockout that will be remembered by the fighters and the fans.

Fight of the Night:
Singdam vs Craig Coakley

The main event had been the most anticipated bout on the Dublin card with the Irish fans out in full force behind their local hero, Craig Coakley. The action escalated from the start, and it was clear that the Irish fighter had gone in looking for the knockout win. With the homeground advantage on Coakley, Singdam remained unfazed by the roaring cheer of the Irish crowd. The experienced Thai fighter took the fight at his pace, scoring favorably with his signature strong right kicks and knees. Coakley's excellent movement and Irish boxing found some success against Singdam but was not enough to make an impact. It went down to the judges score after five exciting rounds with Singdam taking home the victory, along with the WBC Diamond belt via decision.

YOKKAO 41-42 delivered an evening of Muay Thai action nothing like Ireland has ever seen. With a high-knockout rate, all-out war and great atmosphere, this is a night that many fans will be talking about for a long time to come.

The success of the event was only marred at the end by a section of the Irish audience who were displeased with the title bout decision. Some disrespectful and unruly fans didn't agree with the result and proceeded to throw cups of beer into the ring. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the process. While it isn't unusual for fans to disagree with the results, respect and sportsmanship is an integral part of Muay Thai.

In addition, it was repeatedly observed that cornermen were putting their hands into the ring, on the ring itself and on the ropes while the fights are ongoing. This behavior is forbidden in stadiums across the country as well as ruled by the WBC as this interferes with the fight and the ring is considered sacred in Thailand. As such, measures will be taken from our next event onwards: anyone who is spotted to violate these rules will be stripped off their positions as a corner man and not be allowed to enter the venue.

Our next event sees us back at Bolton, UK on the 26 October. Stay tuned for more news on the fight card to be announced in the coming months. Tickets are now on sale at: www.asia.yokkao.com/events/yokkao-43-44