Bozhena Antoniyar Narrowly Defeats Bi Nguyen After Thrilling 15-Minute Battle
Bozhena “Toto” Antoniyar was pushed all the way by Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen for three tough rounds, but she did just enough to earn a split decision.
On Friday, 12 July, the Myanmar hero claimed her third victory in ONE Championship’s women’s atomweight division after an exciting contest at ONE: MASTERS OF DESTINY in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Myanmar’s 🇲🇲 Bozhena Antoniyar picks up a split decision win over Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen!
Myanmar’s 🇲🇲 Bozhena Antoniyar picks up a split decision win over Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen!📺: Check local listings for global TV broadcast📱: Watch on the ONE Super App 👉http://bit.ly/ONESuperApp
Posted by ONE Championship on Friday, July 12, 2019
Bozhena Antoniyar came out aggressively at the sound of the opening bell inside the Axiata Arena, but her rival was quick to slip out of the way of her wild punches inside the first minute. Nguyen then dropped “Toto” with a hard counter left cross, but she got straight back onto her feet.
“Killer Bee” continued to find success with her left hand over the top of the Yangon native’s punches. As the round progressed, Bozhena Antoniyar tried to cut off the ring to impose her boxing, but the Vietnamese-American circled away and opened up with kicks.
As soon as the second frame started, “Toto” started to sit down on her punches a bit more and found a home for her body shots. However, she still had to be wary of her opponent’s counters.
There was no suggestion that either competitor would shoot for a takedown or clinch. A kickboxing battle ensued, and the Bali MMA-trained star backed Nguyen up with her inside leg kicks, though she remained dangerous with punching combinations on the inside.
It was still anyone’s match as the final stanza began, and Tiger Muay Thai’s “Killer Bee” scored a major blow early in the round when she rocked her rival’s head back with a hard counter left.
However, Bozhena Antoniyar continued to demonstrate the skills that made her a two-time Myanmar national boxing champion. She pressed forward, and her cross to the body worked well throughout as she maintained a high output.
Despite her activity, the 24-year-old Yangon resident never ran away with the contest.
Nguyen made it a back-and-forth battle, and she scored again with a flurry of punches that was punctuated with a powerful left hook.
The judges were split when they were forced to turn in a decision after 15 minutes. One of them favored “Killer Bee,” but two of them sided with Bozhena Antoniyar and gave her the hard-earned victory.
It was the Myanmar hero’s second win in a row, which improved her record to 3-1.
