PAGCALIWANGAN SCORES KNOCKOUT WIN IN TORONTO
By Rob Cruz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 21 Apr 2015
Toronto, Canada ? The Shaw Festival Boxing Event is an annual fund raising boxing card held at the prestigious downtown Toronto Fairmont Royal York Hotel. The black tie event includes a full course gourmet dinner and was attended by some of the country?s elite executives from Canada?s Financial Institutions and other leading businesses in the country. Access to this fight card was exclusive, seating was very limited and to grouped table seating which costs approximately $6500.00 to $13,000.00 by ringside.
The coaching staff of Team Gwapo held training camp in Mississauga, Ontario. Coach Sean Fulgencio from Kombat Arts worked with the daily technical boxing. Socrates Celestial was the strength and conditioning coach and also worked as the cut man during the fight. As usual, Coach Glen Erjas started off the first part of training camp with Pagcaliwangan. Team Gwapo?s Head Coach and former IBF Super Bantamweight World Champion Steve ?The Canadian Kid? Molitor topped off Pagcaliwangan?s training with his experience from world class training camps and fights. Coach Socrates Celestial commented that he noticed how relaxed Pagcaliwangan was before the fight. "The presence of Steve ?The Canadian Kid? Molitor was of great service to Team Gwapo".
Last week at the Shaw Festival Filipino Canadian Bantamweight Marc ?Gwapo? Pagcaliwangan (8W,6KO-0L-1D) fought Hungarian Robert Kanalas (9W,7KO,1L,0D). It only took four rounds for Marc ?Gwapo? Pagcaliwangan to put away Robert Kanalas by way of knockout.
Marc connects at Kanalas.
Marc Pagcaliwangan poses with his manager Mark Erwin.
In the first round, Pagcaliwangan executed his ring generalship by pressing the action against Kanalas and established his jab. The Hungarian stood his ground fairly well, when backed up against the ropes, Kanalas threw combinations however nothing significant landed. Pagcaliwangan put his opponent in high alert when he tagged Kanalas with a significant right cross that rocked the Hungarian.
In round two, Kanalas came out of his corner urgently so that he could get a jump start on Pagcaliwangan. This was the Hungarian?s best round as he was on attack mode, he demonstrated resilience. Pagcaliwangan was on slip mode as he slipped through the combinations executed by Kanalas who did not land anything significant. Once Kanalas was backed into the ropes, Pagcaliwangan pressed the action and punished him with body shots.
Round three started with Kanalas in urgent attack mode once again. By this time Pagcaliwangan had adjusted to Kanalas? movement and poked holes through his defence. Once neutralized, Pagcaliwangan connects with several key body shots and crosses that chipped away at Kanalas who got caught more and more. Pagcaliwangan connected a power left hook that landed Kanalas to the canvass close to the end of round three. At the end of the round Team Gwapo can smell the blood as they all knew Kanalas was hurt badly from the left hook that took the Hungarian down.
Round four was all Marc Pagcaliwangan, it was his time to shine and put on a knock out performance in front of the esteemed guests that cheered for him at the prestigious Shaw Festival. Pagcaliwangan connected with another left hook that took Kanalas down within 30 seconds of the start of the round. Kanalas never recovered from that left hook, Pagcaliwangan was patient but kept the pressure on, he was methodical with finishing Kanalas with combinations. The Hungarian had no defence and could not gain his breath from Pagcaliwangan?s onslaught. Pagcaliwangan finished off Kanalas with a left hook to the head followed up with brutal body shots. On the third knock down, the referee knew Kanalas was done and waived off the fight at 1.03 of the fourth round.
With the win, Pagcaliwangan remains undefeated with a 9-win, 1 draw record with 7 knockouts.
Team Gwapo manager Mark Erwin was very pleased with Marc Pagcaliwangan?s victory over Robert Kanalas. He commented "the old Marc Pagcaliwangan would have blasted through with this opponent in one round, this time around Pagcaliwangan boxed beautifully. You can see the difference when you have a World Champion, Steve ?The Canadian Kid? Molitor mentoring Pagcaliwangan was calm, focused, calculating and confident in his best performance thus far".
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rob Cruz.
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