Cheam Adam withstood middle-round punishment to come charging back in the fifth and force a draw against veteran Nuon Soriya Saturday at CTN boxing arena

AFTER five rounds with Nuon Soriya, Cheam Adam’s left eye was a bruised and swollen mess, red and puffy across the cheekbone, gashed and trickling blood from the eyebrow.

Only a thundering fifth-round charge saved him from certain defeat.

Cheam Adam, who was rocked with punches in the third, and bloodied with elbows in the fourth, came barreling back in the final three minutes to force a draw Saturday against Ministry of Interior Boxing Club veteran Nuon Soriya at the CTN boxing arena.

Judges decision questioned

“I thought I won,” Nuon Soriya said. “Many people who saw the fight told me they thought I won, too.”

The match between the two Kampong Cham fighters, like the bout between Vorn Viva and Long Sophal that followed it, was meant to be a warmup fight ahead of bigger bouts next month.

“But he really tried to beat me,” Nuon Soriya said. “So in the third round, I went to the elbows and cut him on the eye.”

Nuon Soriya, 29, began catching Cheam Adam with straight rights early in the second round. With a series of combinations, he sent Cheam Adam backpedaling across the ring on shaky legs early in the third. And by the end of round four, Cheam Adam’s left eye was clearly showing punishment.

However, the 21-year-old rising star from Kleang Meurng Boxing Club known for his off-the-charts fitness, was never too far out of the fight. He kept it close with a high work rate and a strong clinching game, and the fifth-round charge proved enough to move the score even.

“It was only a warmup fight,” Nuon Soriya said. “At least I didn’t lose. That would have been a problem.”

In the co-feature, ISKA world middleweight champion Vorn Viva cruised effortlessly past Long Sophal.