MUAY THAI
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It came a little earlier than expected, but Wollongong muay thai fighter David Pennimpede is confident a strong showing in his pro debut will prove the ideal preparation for one of the biggest fights of his young career.
Pennimpede turned 18 just in time for his pro debut in Melbourne against Victorian WBC champion Scott Vezina last Friday. Despite giving away size, age and experience, Pennimpede lost a razor-thin split decision but lost no fans with the display.
"Considering he fought three weight classes above his normal weight he fought really well," coach Danny Jones said.
"It was his first fight outside of his 78-kilo comfort zone and he weighed in at 82½ [kilos], which is the heaviest he's ever fought. There was a big difference in size, this guy was six-foot-six and he probably weighed abut 86 kilos on the night.
"It went the distance under full thai rules and we thought we'd done enough to win, but just the way they judged it didn't go our way. You'd like to win but can't every fight and it's all experience for him."
The move into the professional ranks followed a hugely successful year as an amateur in which Pennimpede won both NSW and Australian light-heavyweight titles and picked up a silver medal at the amateur world championships in Malaysia.
Jones said the swag of titles had made it difficult to get fights as an amateur.
"We've been finding it too hard to get fights and he was getting a bit frustrated," Jones said.
"We just haven't been able to match him because no-one would fight him in his weight class [as an amateur]."
Pennimpede - who came through the bout unscathed - will return to his natural weight of 75kg for his next bout on the biggest stage of his career, on the Kings Cup card in Thailand next week.
As many as 300,000 people attend the week-long event held annually to honour the birthday of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej.
"It's a massive card for him to fight on with anywhere between 10-20,000 people watching," Jones said.