December 13, 2006	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 21, 1427

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DOHA, Dec 12: Thailand's Olympic champion Manus Boonjumnong revived his career in style on Tuesday when he claimed the Asian Games light-welterweight title with a 22-11 points win over South Korea's Shin Myung-Hoon.

Manus, who was given a severe test by Kazakhstan's Serik Sapiyev in the semi-finals, said he was grateful to the South Korean for helping him win the gold by eliminating his most dangerous rival.

Shin beat Uzbekistan's Dilshod Mahmudov in the other semi-final and Manus said he thought he would have lost to the Uzbek in the final.

“He was the only boxer I was afraid of. He could have beaten me,” said Manus.

“I know the South Korean and I knew I was going to beat him here.”

Manus lost to Shin in the Asian Games four years ago, but insisted it was not a fair result.

“I think I won that fight too,” he said.

In a dramatic semi-final, the Thai champion needed three check-ups by the ringside doctor concerned by the battering he had taken from Sapiyev.

But he had no problems in outpointing the Korean challenger on Tuesday in a one-sided final.

“It was really comfortable,” said the 26-year-old who won the Olympic lightwelterweight title in 2004.

A household name back home, Manus took a two-year break from boxing following his Athens triumph and reportedly spent thousands of dollars funding a lavish playboy lifestyle before returning to the sport.

“I would like to thank the Thai boxing federation for giving me this chance to revive my career,” he said.

Earlier, Thai stablemate Somjit Jongjohor was stunned by Filipino Violito Payla for the flyweight title.

Payla, who had never beaten Somjit in three previous attempts, racked up a comprehensive 31-15 points win.

The defending champion went ahead in the first round but was ouclassed by the southpaw over the next three.

Somjit, 31, who won the title four years ago at the Busan Asian Games, said he had trouble after injuring his left bicep in the 51-kg class fight.

Payla said he was delighted to win the first gold medal in boxing for the Philippines and collect 1.5 million pesos (US$30,000) in prize money.

“I dedicate this to the Philippines and all the Filipino people who support me,” he said.

He said that his strategy was not to take the Thai champion on but wait for him to attack and then pick off points on the counter-attack.

“If I had engaged him in a fist fight I know that I would have lost,” he said.

His next target, he said, would be to win the Olympic gold medal for the Philippines in 2008.

Meanwhile, featherweight Bahodirjon Sultonov from Uzbekistan outpointed Mongolia's Enkhzorig Zorigtbaatar 37-15 for gold in the 57kg division.—AFP