Sunday, 27 April 2008

Cambodia : Thai ex-convict defends WBC women's light flyweight title

Convicted Thai drug dealer Samson Sor Siriporn is declared the winner during the WBC light flyweight title fight against Kayoko Ebata from Japan in Phnom Penh April 26, 2008. Siriporn walked out of prison three years early for winning the WBC light-flyweight title earlier this year. Siriporn retained her World Boxing Council by winning against the Japanese challenger in 10 rounds.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Convicted Thai drug dealer Samson Sor Siriporn (L) is declared the winner during the WBC light flyweight title fight against Kayoko Ebata from Japan in Phnom Penh April 26, 2008. Siriporn walked out of prison three years early for winning the WBC light-flyweight title earlier this year. Siriporn retained her World Boxing Council by winning against the Japanese challenger in 10 rounds.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Siriporn Thaweesuk, right, of Thailand, beats onto the head of Kayoko Ebata, left, of Japan, during their WBC light flyweight title match in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, April 26, 2008. Thailand's Siriporn Thaweesuk, former female drug dealer from Thailand retained her World Boxing Council crown Saturday in a 10-round bout against the Japanese challenger. In a 2-1 decision, Thailand's Siriporn Thaweesuk beated Ebata in the third defense of her light-flyweight belt, which she won while serving a prison term for selling amphetamines.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Siriporn Thaweesuk, left, from Thailand, beats onto the face of Kayoko Ebata, right, from Japan, during a WBC light flyweight title in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, April 26, 2008. Siriporn Thaweesuk, the former female drug dealer from Thailand retained her World Boxing Council crown Saturday in a 10-round bout against the Japanese challenger. In a 2-1 decision, Thailand's Siriporn Thaweesuk bested Ebata in the third defense of her light-flyweight belt, which she won while serving a prison term for selling amphetamines.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Convicted Thai drug dealer Samson Sor Siriporn (L) punches Kayoko Ebata from Japan during their WBC light flyweight title fight in Phnom Penh April 26, 2008. Siriporn walked out of prison three years early for winning the WBC light-flyweight title earlier this year. Siriporn retained her World Boxing Council by winning against the Japanese challenger in 10 rounds.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Convicted Thai drug dealer Samson Sor Siriporn (L) punches Kayoko Ebata from Japan during their WBC light flyweight title fight in Phnom Penh April 26, 2008. Siriporn walked out of prison three years early for winning the WBC light-flyweight title earlier this year. Siriporn retained her World Boxing Council by winning against the Japanese challenger in 10 rounds.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Convicted Thai drug dealer Samson Sor Siriporn (R) punches Kayoko Ebata from Japan during their WBC light flyweight title fight in Phnom Penh April 26, 2008. Siriporn walked out of prison three years early for winning the WBC light-flyweight title earlier this year. Siriporn retained her World Boxing Council by winning against the Japanese challenger in 10 rounds.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Convicted Thai drug dealer Samson Sor Siriporn (R) fights with Kayoko Ebata from Japan during their WBC light flyweight title fight in Phnom Penh April 26, 2008. Siriporn walked out of prison three years early for winning the WBC light-flyweight title earlier this year. Siriporn retained her World Boxing Council by winning against the Japanese challenger in 10 rounds.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

The Associated Press
Published: April 26, 2008

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Thailand's Siriporn Thaweesuk, who won her WBC light flyweight title in prison while serving time for drug offenses, made her third successful defense by beating Japan's Kayoko Ebata on Saturday.

On the day of her 25th birthday, Siriporn won by split decision in the 10-round bout on neutral ground in Cambodia. Two judges gave her the decision and another scored it a tie.

In an evenly contested bout, Ebata fought through swelling around both eyes from early in the fight, with both boxers noticeably fatigued in the later rounds fought in the tropical heat.

Siriporn, also known as Samson Sor, first took the vacant WBC light flyweight title when she outpointed Japan's Ayaka Miyano in a bout at Klong Prem Prison in April last year. She was serving a sentence for selling amphetamines.

She received a pardon after winning the title and was freed from the women's prison in Pathum Thani province, 32 kilometers (20 miles) north of Bangkok, three years before the end of her 10-year sentence.

Saturday's bout was the third time Siriporn had defended her title with decisions over Japanese opponents, having oupointed Anri Nakagawa in August and Momo Koseki in November last year.

Last month she signed a contract selling rights to her story to an independent producer from Los Angeles, who said he would turn her story into a movie.

Siriporn grew up in a poor family in Bangkok, where her family made a living by selling clothes on the roadside.

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