INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightFacebookImage caption
Anucha had fought in 170 bouts and entered the ring aged eight
The
death of a 13-year-old boy who was knocked out in a Thai kickboxing match has led to renewed pressure on Thailand to ban children from
boxing bouts.Anucha Kochana was pronounced dead from a brain haemorrhage two days after he fought in the charity match.He had taken part in
170 fights since the age of eight to help raise money for his family, reports say.The Thai parliament is reviewing legislation that would
ban children under 12 from boxing matches.Thai boxing, or Muay Thai as it is also called, is hugely popular in the country, where thousands
of young fighters and their families see it as a way of earning money.But there are few rules governing the sport and some people oppose
proposed laws to protect young fighters, saying they are part of the country's boxing tradition.Image copyrightAFPImage caption
Many young Thais and their families see fighting as a way of earning money
Many Thais have been saddened by
Anucha's death and have been sharing footage of the fight in central Samut Prakan province
A number of prominent boxing stars have sent tributes.Video of the match showed the boy, known by his boxing name Phetmongkol Por Peenapat,
and his opponent were not wearing any protective headgear.Anucha was repeatedly punched in the head, before falling to the mat.His opponent,
who is 14, has said he's very sad about what happened and he didn't mean to take another life
He plans to auction the shorts he wore for the match to raise money for Anucha's family.Thailand has more than 10,000 registered boxers
under the age of 15, according to figures released last year by its national Sports Authority.A draft law before parliament would ban
children under 12 from professional kickboxing matches, and regulate the participation of young teenagers."Those aged 12 to 15 will need to
be registered, have the permission of their parents and wear protective gear for professional fights," Gen Adulyadej Inthapong, vice
chairman of the National Legislative Assembly's committee on sports, told Reuters.Some campaigners and medics want the minimum age to be
raised to 18 and say change is being delayed because child boxing is so lucrative
The Professional Boxing Association of Thailand wants the age for participation in organised bouts set at 10
Anucha's death comes shortly after Italian boxer Christian Daghio died in a title fight in the country.
