APOL SUICO KO’D IN FIRST ROUND
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 30 Sep 2007
Filipino challenger Apol Suico was knocked out in a mere 38 seconds of the first round by South African champion Moruti Mthalane in a clash for the vacant WBC International flyweight title in Johannesburg, Saturday night.
Fight fans at the Park Station venue hardly had time to warm their seats when Mthalane hammered Suico with two cracking rights to put him on the canvas. Although the Filipino complained of a low blow veteran referee Daniel van der Wiele said the blow grazed Suico’s trunks and did no damage.
Super Boxing reported that a few seconds later Mthalane “moved Suico into a corner, measured the distance with his left and landed the knockout blows with the right.”
Well known boxing writer Ron Jackson had earlier downplayed Suico’s chances noting that Mthalane whose record improved to 20-1 with 14 knockouts is one of South Africa’s most talented fighters and is ranked No. 30 by the WBC whereas Suico whose record is reported to be 10-1 with 6 knockouts will be fighting for the first time outside his home country and Mthalane will be “his first quality opponent.”
It was pointed out that “most of his (Suico’s) opponents have lost more fights than they have won and his No. 40 ranking on the WBC list also does not make his chances against Mthalane look particularly good.”
The super fit South African who looked impressive in his last three fights was expected to win inside the distance and did so in dramatic fashion prompting Super Boxing to state that Suico is “certainly going nowhere in professional boxing.”
Suico was the third boxer from the Rex “Wakee” Salud stable to lose this past week in South Africa. JR Sollano was badly beaten by WBC International lightweight champion Ali Funeka losing by a fourth round TKO while Alex Aroy dropped a controversial sixth round decision to Zukisani Kwayiba when a sudden power failure before the start of the seventh round forced the officials to go to the judges scorecards.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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