Malaipet Replaces Kit Cope In WBC Championship Fight

[keithlewis]

THREE-TIME WORLD CHAMP MALAIPET SASIPRAPA REPLACES KIT COPE IN WBC MUAY THAI CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT VERSUS JOSE PALACIOS

SAT., NOV. 19 AT HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO LAS VEGAS
Cope unable to secure fighter license from Nevada State Athletic Commission


Lion Fight Promotions announced today that it has signed three-time world champion Malaipet Sasiprapa (138-27-5 (26 KO’s) of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. via Thailand to face rising star Jose Palacios (5-2 (3 KO’s) San Jose, Calif. at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. on Sat., Nov. 19, live on Go Fight Live (www.gfl.tv), after Kit Cope, Palacios’ original opponent, was unable to secure a license to fight from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The vacant WBC national welterweight (147 pounds) championship will be at stake in the bout between Sasiprapa and Palacios.

The 29-year-old Sasiprapa, better known to fight fans as “Malaipet,” is a decorated champion of Bangkok, Thailand’s Rajadamnern Stadium, one of the country’s two most prestigious arenas for world-class Muay Thai competition. A practitioner of Muay Thai since the age of eight, he is known for his powerful kicks and clinch work.

Malaipet is looking to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss to Chike Lindsay on Aug. 13, 2011. Just two weeks before that, Malaipet battled British contender Tim Thomas to a majority draw after taking the fight on just one day notice.

In the main event of Lion Fight Promotions: Battle In The Desert 4, Live from The Joint, surging Muay Thai star Chaz Mulkey (7-4) of Las Vegas will collide with four-time British Muay Thai champion Simon Chu (29-7 (17 KO’s) of Leeds, England for the vacant WBC international middleweight (160 pounds) Muay Thai championship.

In the co-main event, superstar Phanuwat “Coke” Chunhawat (145-24-1 (24 KO’s) of Oakland, Calif. via Thailand will face battle-tested Muay Thai champion and professional boxing contender Rami Ibrahim (13-7-2 (6 KO’s) of Philadelphia, Pa.

Two knockout artists and rapidly emerging forces will collide when Las Vegas-based Muay Thai and mixed martial arts (MMA) standout Chidi Njokuani (10-1 (6 KO’s) squares off with aggressive-minded Ken Tran (13-3 (10 KO’s) of Vancouver B.C., Canada in a 170-pound catchweight fight.

In a heavyweight attraction, Brazilian Muay Thai and K-1 Champion Eduardo Maiorino (40-14 (20 KO’s) of Richmond, Calif. via Campo Grande, Brazil will throw down with K-1 USA veteran Terroll Dees (6-2 (4 KO’s) of Concord, Calif.

The main card will also be highlighted by a pair of women’s bouts. Former Cung Le-protégé Elaina Maxwell (0-0) of San Francisco, Calif. will face off with Roxy “Balboa” Richardson (2-1) of Los Angeles, Calif. at super lightweight (140 pounds) while Vivian Leung (1-0) of Las Vegas via Saskatoon, Canada will lock horns with Cassie Trost (0-0) of Los Angeles in a 120 pound catchweight affair.

Tickets for Lion Fight Promotions: Battle In The Desert 4, Live from The Joint, priced from $25, are on sale and can be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office, at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000) and online at Ticketmaster.com.

Doors at The Joint will open at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5 p.m.

Fight fans around the world can tune into the entire 12 bout fight card (7 professional main card bouts and 6 amateur preliminary card bouts) online by logging on to GFL’s dedicated web page for the event and paying a fee of $14.99. The one-time credit card payment will allow purchasers to watch the event both live and after its completion.



Complete Professional Fight Card:

Main Event
WBC International Middleweight (160 pounds) Championship
Chaz Mulkey (Las Vegas, Nev.) (Champion) vs. Simon Chu (Leeds, England) (Challenger)
5x3 rounds

Co-Main Event
WBC National Lightweight (135 pounds) Championship (Vacant)
Phanuwat “Coke” Chunhawat (Oakland, Calif) vs. Rami Ibrahim (Philadelphia, Pa.)
5x3 rounds

WBC National Welterweight (147 pounds) Championship (Vacant)
Malaipet Sasiprapa (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) vs. Jose Palacios (San Jose, Calif.)
5x3 rounds

Elaina Maxwell (San Francisco, Calif.) vs. Roxy Richardson (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Super Lightweight (140 lbs) / 5x3 rounds

Chidi Njokuani (Las Vegas, Nev.) vs. Ken Tran (Vancouver B.C., Canada)
Catchweight (170 lbs) / 5x3 rounds

Vivian Leung (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Cassie Trost (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Catchweight (120 lbs) / 5x3 rounds

Eduardo Maiorino (Richmond, Calif.) vs. Terroll Dees (Concord, Calif.)
Heavyweight (Max 250 lbs.) 5 x 3 rounds


Complete Amateur Preliminary Fight Card:

Tyler Rodgers (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Beto Rodriguez (Los Angeles, CA)
147 lbs / USMTA title / 5x2 rounds

Jason Andrada (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Victor Perez (Van Nuys, CA)
130 lbs / USMTA title/ 5x2 rounds

Patti Teran (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Monique Travis (Atlanta, GA)
108 lbs / 3x2 rounds

Josh Shepard (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Mike Kruska (Los Angeles, CA)
165 lbs / 3x2 rounds

Genesis Bravo (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Pixi O'Reilly (Phoenix, AZ)
112 lbs / 3x2 rounds

[NWOWolfpack]

Malaipet should crush this guy but who knows if he has been training lately.......

[broncofan]

Anyone got the results? I'll go see if I can find them.

[broncofan]

Malaipet won via decision. Coke beat Rami via dec. Guess there was a bit of controversy. Coke dropped Rami but the ref ruled it a slip. Coke protested to the ref and while he was doing so Rami cracked him and dropped Coke resulting in a count.