BANGKOK, Thailand -- The World Boxing Council on Tuesday announced it has established a Thai kickboxing division and will hold title matches for two of the sport's 18 weight categories in Australia next month.
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"It is the fastest-growing sport in the world," said Patrick Cusick, secretary-general of WBC Muaythai -- the Thai name for the sport -- at a news conference in Bangkok.
The Dec. 10 match on Australia's Gold Coast will see Australian Nathan Corbett square off against Japan's Magnum Sakai in the world cruiserweight -- 175 pound -- category. Thailand's Yodsaenklai Fairtex takes on Australia's John Wayne Par for the world super welterweight -- 154-pound -- championship.
Cusick said the decision to establish a kickboxing branch was made after a November 2001 meeting between Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej and WBC President Jose Sulaiman.
The first WBC Muaythai championship bout was fought in Hong Kong in September, he said, when Zhang Qing Jun of China knocked out England's Marek Boguscewicz to take the heavyweight title.
In March a bout will be staged in London for the middleweight championship featuring U.K. champion Steve Wakeling, Cusick said.
After that, Cusick said there are plans to bring together the sport's best fighters for a monthly "WBC Muaythai World Series" to be staged in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia.
"Many groups all over the world are doing muaythai, but maybe they change muaythai in different ways," said police Gen. Kovit Bhakdibhumi, chairman of WBC Muaythai and president of the Asian Boxing Council. "We don't like that -- we like the original muaythai."
Kovit said the WBC, which is active in 161 countries, has the marketing ability to introduce muaythai all over the world. The WBC estimates the sport has 300,000 practitioners in 90 countries worldwide.
"Muaythai can now gain popularity, competition and professional standards through the support of the WBC," Kovit said.
Asked about reports that Mike Tyson is interested in competing as a kickboxer, Cusick said many boxing stars expressed a desire to learn the sport.
"We certainly don't want muaythai to be a circus, but any boxers are welcome," he said, adding the WBC plans to eventually set up a women's kickboxing division.
