TAMBUNAN: Speed Strike Boxing Club Tambunan boxer Dann Derron Joimi has become Malaysia’s number one-ranked professional boxer in the cruiserweight category after winning his professional debut against the country’s previous top-ranked fighter.
Dann Derron, who competes in the 90.7kg cruiserweight division, defeated Ahmad Shamel Salahuddin on points after six rounds at the BAM Championship 2026 held at Dewan Sri Putatan on July 17.
The event featured a line-up of local and international professional boxers. The win marked Dann Derron’s first professional bout and immediately elevated him to the top of the national cruiserweight rankings, replacing Ahmad Shamel in the process.
Dann Derron is from Kampung Sunsuron in Tambunan and trains under Speed Strike Boxing Club Tambunan, which sent two boxers to the championship for the first time in its history.
The win has been described as a proud moment for Tambunan and Sabah, placing the district on the national professional boxing map.
The club’s other representative, Raylone Raymond Gatulik, who competes in the 52.2kg super flyweight division, lost his professional debut on points.
Raylone, also from Kampung Sunsuron, fought competitively throughout the bout, with some observers describing the judges’ decision as contentious given the closely contested nature of the fight until the final round.
Both boxers’ appearances mark the first time Speed Strike Boxing Club Tambunan has fielded fighters in a professional boxing event, with the club citing the results as evidence of the sporting talent emerging from the district.
