PACQUIAO INSPIRES LADON TO STUNNING UPSET OF MEXICAN NO.1 JOSELITO VELAZQUEZ
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 09 Oct 2015
Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao inspired countryman Rogen Ladon, the Asian Boxing Championships silver medalist, to a stunning upset of Mexican No. 1 Joselito Velazquez with a 3-0 triumph in the opening bout which AIBA described as ?an explosive start? on Thursday afternoon with ?a huge upset in the opening bout.?
AIBA reported that Ladon, a young Filipino southpaw who was ranked as low as No.17 in the September world ratings of the international governing body and ?watched in the stands by the mighty Pacquiao? swarmed all over the light flyweight favorite Joselito Velazquez ?with lightning fast combinations midway through the first round that saw the Mexican outfought, crashing out 3-0 to the delight of the crowd.
Ladon ?simply started too fast? reported AIBA, ?never letting the Mexican No.1 into their bout.?
The southpaw threw some terrific one-two combinations and surprised the heavily favored Mexican by darting in and out in ma flash and counter-punching effectively when Vazquez tried to bully his way inside with body shots which Ladon deftly parried although he did get nailed with a couple of big shots to the side of the head but never appeared to be hurt.
A one point deduction by referee Mykola Karakulov for using his head once too often in round two further hampered the Mexican?s efforts in a fight that was masterfully planned out by coaches Noel Velasco and Romeo Brin.
In a post fight comment Ladon said ?I felt I shined in the ring today. Our legend Manny Pacquiao was in the venue and I felt his support. I thank God I beat my Mexican rival and need only one step to get a medal in the Doha 2015 World Boxing Championships. Still can?t believe it.?
Ladon also said ?the fans were great too, they gave me energy. Reaching this far is massive for me but to meet Manny made the day. I will forever cherish this moment.?
Pacquiao who was the center of attraction before the bout began, being introduced to various Qatari dignitaries and AIBA officials was nattily dressed in a suit and light colored shirt watched intently from his special seat at ringside as the television cameras focused on the international ring idol and applauded with a smile on his face as the decision was announced.
Satya Rath of the Gulf Times reported that ?with Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao cheering in tandem with the capacity crowd ? most of them Filipino fans who had come to catch a glimpse of their hero and idol ? his country?s young boxer Rogen Ladon delivered the biggest upset of the championships so far when he outpointed light flyweight favorite Joselito Velazquez to storm into the quarter finals.?
Rath said with a wave of lightning fast combinations from the opening bell itself, Ladon looked in no mood to let the occasion get over him . There were times when one even expected a knockout, so precise and accurate were his punches. By the time the Filipino looked like tiring a bit his opponent had no energy to left to make a comeback.
Ladon had earlier started off his campaign to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rion de Janiero, Brazil with an impressive 3-0 win over Argentina?s favored Leonard Blanc winning 30-27 on the scorecards of all three judges and duplicated that feat in even greater style against a top-rated opponent.
He later posed for a picture with Ladon and welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial, a southpaw who scored a big first round TKO win over his Egyptian opponent Wahid Said Muhammad on the second day of competition, with referee Rwehi Asanau of Belarus calling a halt at 2:59 of the very first round after he gave the Egyptian three standing eight-counts as Marcial ripped into him with a series of ferocious punches giving him no chance to recover.
Marcial is ranked No. 24 in the welterweight division while Wahid Said Muhammad was ranked one rung below at No.25.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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