WBC OFFICIAL SAYS VERANO DESERVED DRAW VS SASAKUL
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 26 Aug 2007
Well-known WBC official and veteran Bangkok Post sportswriter and columnist Edward Thangarajah says Jenray Verano deserved a draw in his six round bout against former world flyweight champion Chatchai Sasakul.
The judges however had Sasakul the winner by a unanimous decision which Thangarajah, the WBC Asian Boxing Council secretary branded as a “hometown decision.”
The decision was apparently motivated by the fact that Sasakul is being lined up for a shot at the world super flyweight title and a loss would have ruined his chances.
The WBC official reported that Verano “caused a big surprise by giving the experienced Thai, a fight of his life.” He said the 23 year old Filipino “earned the plaudits of expert boxing fans for his excellent showing.”
Sasakul who lost his WBC flyweight title to Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao by a seventh round knockout in December 1998 had a record of 62-3 with 38 knockouts including a brutal fourth round KO of Lito Sisonorio who died following surgery for a blood clot in the brain last March 30. Verano on the other hand had a record of 16-10-2 with 7 knockouts.
In the main event Thangarajah said that Thailand’s WBC Youth flyweight champion Panomrunglek stopped his tall Filipino opponent identified as Lopez Delada at 2:33 of the sixth round before a wildly cheering crowd of Thai fans at the Ubon Ratchathani Markey Arena, Friday.
Thangarajah said the tall Delada swung wildly and connected with some long-range punches but from the second round onwards Panomrunglek “came firing from all angles and took control of the bout” and ultimately dropped Delada in the sixth. Referee Franz Marti gave Delada a mandatory count of eight but seconds later stepped in and called a halt as Delada was groggy and in no condition to continue. The time was 2:39.
Delada praised Panomrunglek in a post fight interview saying he was a “good fighter” while the Thai said he would like a shot at the WBC flyweight title currently held by Daisuke Naito of Japan who is also being eyed by Filipino IBF/IBO champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire who wants to unify the belts in the 112 pound division.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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