Saoyan Visal

Saoyan Visal (Khmer: សៅយ៉ាន់ វិសាល), born in 2009 as Chhong Visal and formerly known by the ring name Ek Chandara, is a Cambodian Kun Khmer fighter and national kickboxing athlete from Banteay Meanchey Province. He trains at Sao Yan Kun Khmer and competes in both Kun Khmer and kickboxing while continuing his studies. Standing at 1.75 meters tall, Visal became known through appearances in domestic Kun Khmer events before later representing Cambodia in national and international competitions.

Visal was born into a boxing family originally from Banteay Meanchey province. His father, San Saoyan, is a former Cambodian boxer known for his elbow fighting style and later became involved in training his son from a young age. Visal has four siblings , three brothers and one sister, and is the second child in the family. As of 2026, he is studying in Grade 11 at Indradevi High School in Phnom Penh.

Journey into Kun Khmer

Visal began training in martial arts around 2015 under the guidance of his father at home in Banteay Meanchey province. After approximately two years of training, he started competing in provincial events and reportedly won his debut bout. He continued building experience in local competitions before eventually making appearances in Phnom Penh after around 15 fights.

During his early years, he balanced boxing with his studies and competed mostly in provincial events. Because he lived far from Phnom Penh and did not always have access to regular training opportunities, his fight schedule remained relatively limited. In 2025, he moved to Phnom Penh to continue his studies at Indradevi High School in Tuol Kouk district. The move allowed him to train more consistently at Sao Yan Neakea gym and compete more frequently on major Kun Khmer television programs and arenas in the capital.

Competing under the ring name “Saoyan Visal,” he gradually gained experience through domestic bouts, including appearances in belt tournaments against more experienced opponents. In 2023, he participated in a 48-kilogram belt tournament and finished in third place. In 2025, he entered another major tournament in the 54-kilogram division at MAS Fight on Town Arena, and currently in 57kg.

Alongside Kun Khmer, Visal also competes in kickboxing as a Cambodian national athlete. Despite his growing activity in combat sports, he has continued balancing his athletic career with his education.

Achievements

Visal’s achievements in kickboxing and Kun Khmer include:

• Silver medal in the 45-kilogram category at the National Games.
• Bronze medal in the 51-kilogram division at the Cambodian National Championship.
• Gold medal at the Southeast Asian Kickboxing Championship hosted in Cambodia.
• Gold medal representing the Ministry of National Defense at the Cambodian National Championship in the 57-kilogram division in February 2026.
• XFC Kickboxing champion in 2026.

In 2025, Visal represented Cambodia at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain in the 54-kilogram category. He reached the final after winning four consecutive bouts and finished with a silver medal.

On 15 April 2026, Visal won the XFC Kickboxing belt, becoming the second Kun Khmer fighter to hold the title after Meun Mekhea. He won the championship by TKO in the second round after knocking down a Chinese opponent with a leg kick to the neck that resulted in a 10-count stoppage.