March this year, I think should be dubbed Sabah Muaythai month. 10-11 March saw Elopura Fights 2nd Edition held in Sandakan. Then a week after in Papar, YB Datuk Rosnah Cup was held at Sabah Muaythai Camp. March ended with the return of SABAH FIGHT.

It was held on 31 March 2018 at Yayasan Sabah complex ground in Kota Kinabalu. This was the 2nd edition after a year break. Organised as part of a big youth festival named : FIESTA BELIA SEPANGGAR, it was the center of attraction among many other activities specially cater for the youth and the young at heart.

Sabah Fight vol 2 was organised by Persatuan Belia Inspirasi Kinabalu and sanctioned by Sabah Muaythai Association. 12 amatuer rules fight plus another 7 pro rules Muaythai was competed.

The pro Muaythai held at night draws huge crowd as lots of local fan favourite fighters was featured. See below for the full results.

Amateur rules bouts
Female 50kg pro: Tu Sin Yee vs Arteng 
39kg Juvinile category pro: Azman vs Daniel
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Randal won the Kelab Sukan Inspirasi Boreno Cup
Randal ‘The Slayer’ Kadayum of Kinabalu Fighters, multiple championship holder whom announced his retirement in Sabah Fight 1 (Dec 2016) could not resist temptation to come back and put on the boxing gloves and compete for the huge 60kg Championship Cup.

His return was triumphant as he defeated Muhd Fahmi of PDRM after a 3 rounds decision victory.
After Sabah Fight 1, Randal has basically stop from competing in combat sports and participate mostly in marathon. But this year he started to train again and March was a hectic month for him.
17 March he won Gold for his Cage Boxing participation in Borneo King of the Cage. March 25, saw him again participating in boxing. This time again victorious with Gold at the Mayor’s Cup Boxing Tournament, beating a SUKMA athlete.
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Rizal unleashing low kick on his opponent

Muhd Rizal of Karabaw return to the Muaythai ring for the 67kg bout.The last we saw Rizal in action was in Dec 2017 at Labuan BMAEX , which he fought pro Kickboxing. He lost the bout via TKO. In the Sabah Fight 67kg, Rizal gain back winning ways when he won by 2nd round TKO against Tengku Faris of PDRM.

The Kings Legacy Cup 60kg sponsored by Kinabalu Kings was up for grab between Opong Maphilindo (Kinabalu Kings) and Fadhil (Selendang Kuning). Fadhil convincingly won the cup winning via 1st round TKO.

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The main fight of the night saw hearing impaired fighter Sunny ‘The Silencer’ Sabornido of Borneo Combat Gym Labuan fought against Ali Hobbit of Revolution Gym.

Sunny was looking to win a championship title to start his 2018 well after a lost last year fighting pro Kickboxing at Labuan BMAEX. As for Ali, the YB Datuk Rosnah Cup he won in just two weeks ago serves as a motivation for him to add another championship cup to his collection.

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The fight went the distance and judges decision went to Sunny Sabornido.

Sunny is a true inspiration. Works as a machinist by day, he trains at night at Borneo Combat Gym (BCG) Labuan. He has been active in Muaythai comp since 2010. Back in his home town Keningau when he was a kid , his interest in martial art lead him to try Karate. He moved to Labuan and tried Taekwondo.

He stopped his training when he moved to study in Tuaran. After graduating high school, he moved back to Labuan, tried boxing but it all didn’t work well as the big obstacle of communication between him and trainer.

It was at BCG Labuan that he finally found his dream of progressing in martial arts. Head coach and BCG founder Alvin Chong took him under his wing and guided Sunny. Alvin invested his time to learn sign language to ensure he can impart his knowledge properly to Sunny.

Sunny with his coach and mentor Alvin Chong

Through lots of hard work and lots of patience, Sunny began to improve and to this day has collected a number of championship title, among them,

  • 2011 : MUAY THAI FIT WARRIOR ZON MALAYSIA TIMUR SARAWAK
  • 2012 : MUAY THAI FIT WARRIOR ZON SABAH
  • 2013 : MUAY THAI CHALLENGE SINGAPORE
  • 2014 : D-1 FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP RHINO WARRIOR SABAH
  • 2014 : DIHNAR D-1 AKINABALU, SABAH
  • 2015 : INTERNATIONAL WUSHU OPEN TOURNAMENT KUALA LUMPUR
  • 2017 : INTERNATIONAL MUAY THAI PRE SEA GAMES CHAMPIONSHIP KUALA LUMPUR

Sunny aims to proof that even when has hearing disability, with hard work and determination he is able to go far. He is Labuan Deaf Association President and wants to use his position and his achievement in martial arts to inspire and improve the lives of those with hearing impaired.

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In the amateur category saw the participation of fighters from SMK Pulau Gaya.
This is a high school located at the Gaya Island which is 30 mins boat ride from Kota Kinabalu. SMK Pulau Gaya Muaythai Club is just 3 months old. It’s an initiative from Sabah Muaythai Association to introduced Muaythai as a co-curriculum at the school every week.

According to Sabah Fight matchmaker and coach at Revolution Gym, Dhillon Tahing, he was amazed at how fast the students pick up the basic. They work hard and showed tremendous interest. Dhillon selected a few potential talent for the competition team to train at his gym in Alam Mesra.

Their school teacher Miss Nirwana and Cikgu Maznun is very cooperative. After school they fetch the students at the jetty with their car to Revolution Gym and waited for them to finish their training and send them back to the jetty.

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The school principle are very supportive of the Muaythai Club program. He said the students who joined has become more discipline and was able to focus better in class. Some of these students used to be trouble maker, but after starting Muaythai, they become more obedient and cooperative.

To ensure these students does not use Muaythai as a way out of studies. Dhillon has set the condition that Muaythai Club members of the school must have good exam results. The teacher chip in by giving these students extra class to improve their studies. Dhillon set his goal to help and mould these students to achieve success through Muaythai.

Two of them, Abdul Tawab 14 and Mudzil Qamir 13 was selected to be part of Sabah Muaythai team competing at the Nationals Inter School & Club Championship in Kuala Lumpur last week ( 4-10 April ).

Dhillon Tahing flank by Adbul Tawab (R) & Mudzil (L) and their teacher Ms Nirwana
Abdul Tawab won bronze in the Nationals Inter-School
Mudzil won the silver
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Special edition Sabah Fight Tshirt sold by Band of Gorilla

Sabah Fight spoke person Lucky Akbar Liun explained that Sabah Fight serve as platform not just for amateur or newcomer to gain fight experience but also for those that wants to turn pro. He said he hope to make Sabah Fight a place where amateur fighters with some fight experience can take up their first pro fight.

Lucky represent Kelab Inspirasi Kinabalu, the main committee that organised the whole festival. Lucky adds that Festival Belia Sepanggar objective was to bring youth of all ages and races together, through activities that specially cater for them and Muaythai was one of that.


Thei objective was certainly achieved. That week, Yayasan Sabah ground was packed with many visitors especially youth to take part in various activities such as Remote Control Car Race, Futsal, Hip-Hop Dance-off, Fishing Contest, Auto-Show, Battle of the Band, Rock Concert etc.
Lucky wants to convey his special thanks to BAND OF GORILLA, the official sponsors that provide the printing material such as buntings, poster and backdrop for the Fiesta
look for Band of Gorilla for your printing needs
The VIP that graced the opening  of event, Tuan Hisyam Abdullah , representative of Tan Sri Pandikar Amin (center) , En Nourman Rayn – President of Sabah Youth Council (in blue long sleeve). Dg. Mas Safiah – Youth & Sports Ministry officer ( in maroon headscarf)

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