For Crown and Kingdom

For Crown and Kingdom

Jason Suttie’s King in the Ring, New Zealand’s largest kickboxing promotion, leaves it’s traditional Auckland home when two-time 62 kilogram champion Sone Vannathy defends his crown at the Te Rauparaha arena in Porirua this Saturday
night at King in the Ring 62III.

The Laotian-born ‘Arch Angel’ Vannathy, a veteran of over 70 fights across 20 years, faces a shark-tank of elite opposition with two local opponents as well as the cream of the crop from Auckland, Dannievirke and beyond.

A self-employed gib stopper, owner of the Arch Angel Thaiboxing gym, professional fighter and father, Vannathy is taking what could be his final defense as the biggest event of his life. “This means everything in my fight career, as it may be my last,” he says. “It is for my supporters, my friends, family, ancestors before me and after me, my legacy and the legacy of my gym, the Arch Angel's.”

Despite his storied career fighting in stadiums around the world, Vannathy says nothing is the same as successfully defending his crown on national television, where it was seen far further than just inside the arena. “The proudest moment in my fighting career was winning the King in the Ring for the second time, live on Sky TV, where my friends, family, gym and my kids got to see Dad go to work.”

A potential retirement victory in his hometown means everything to Vannathy, but a ferocious lineup of elite competitors looks to spoil the King’s final coronation. In fact, one of them has bested the champ before.

Pumipi ‘Ceazer’ Ngaronoa is the current WMC New Zealand Super Lightweight champion, a belt he took from Vannathy over five rounds in New Plymouth last year. It was Ngaronoa’s career highlight thus far, but he has his eyes set on a bigger prize. “Winning the King in the Ring means more than the money that's usually up for grabs,” he says. “It's knowing that you beat the best in New Zealand on the circuit in one night, and everyone in New Zealand and across the ditch sees me doing it.”

Also in the tournament, Jason Suttie’s ETK student Joey ‘The Filipino Kid’ Baylon returns as well as local Wellington fighters “Razor” Ra Redden and Alexi “Phet” Serepisos, SMAC Gym’s Chris “Butcher Boy” Wells and more. The undercard sees top cruiserweight Zane ‘The Hybrid’ Hopman take on ETK’s King in the Ring cruiserweight finalist Pati ‘The Arsenal” Afoa, as well as cross-code champion Gentiane ‘AAA’ Lupi and more.

King in the Ring 62III takes place on Saturday night at the Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua. It screens live on Sky Sport 3

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