2017 PHILIPPINE BOXING YEAREND REVIEW (PART II)
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 31 Dec 2017
Manny Pacquiao did not fight again in the second half of the year. Jerwin Ancajas continued to generate media buzz. On a more tragic note, a Filipino boxer died after a training session. And just a few hours before the start of the new year, the Philippines lost another world title.
July 15 ? Thammanoon Niyomtrong a.k.a. Knockout CP Freshmart (Thailand) WUD12 Rey Loreto, WBA world minimumweight title, Chonburi, Thailand
July 25 ? Nonito Donaire signs promotional contract with Richard Schaefer?s Ringstar Sports
July 29 ? Gideon Buthelezi (South Africa) WUD12 Ryan Rey Ponteras,IBO world superflywieght title, East London, South Africa.
August 15 ? Total of Filipino boxers caught submitting fake CT-scans of the brain to the GAB reaches 150.
August 24 ? Philippine amateur boxing team wins two gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games held in Malaysia courtesy of middleweight Eumir Marcial and Fil-British light heavyweight John Marvin.
September 16 ? Milan Melindo W SD12 Hekkie Budler (South Africa), retains IBF world light flyweight title. Jonas Sultan W UD 12 Johnriel Casimero, Sultan beats and upsets former two-division world champ in IBF super flyweight eliminator, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines.
September 22 ? Oscar Valdez (Mexico) WUD12 Genesis Servania, WBO world featherweight title, Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona,USA.
September 23 ? Nonito Donaire returns to the win column with a unanimous decision win over Ruben Garcia Hernandez (Mexico) in San Antonio, Texas.
September 28 ? Manny Pacquiao visits Beijing for the partnership of his company MP Promotions with Wen Xin Zhou of Ding Xin Sports. The fight card, which had six Filipino boxers sweeping their bouts, was part of China?s Belt and Road World Boxing Champions Tour.
October 19 ? The International Boxing Federation (IBF) orders a rematch between IBF light flyweight champion Milan Melindo and Hekkie Budler of South Africa. Budler?s camp filed a complaint which centered on the actions of the referee who allowed Melindo?s trainer to apply a coagulant on Melindo?s cut after it was examined by the ringside doctor during a timeout called by the referee. The cut was ruled as being caused by a punch in the 10th round.
October 22 ? Jeffrey Claro, a boxer from Palawan, dies two days after lapsing into a coma after a sparring session in Mandaluyong City.
October 28- Zong Ju Cai (China) WUD10 Gretchen Abaniel, IBF female world minimumweight title, East Asian Games Dome, Macau S.A.R.,China
November 17 ? IBF light flyweight champion Milan Melindo sets unification fight against WBA champion Ryoichi Taguchi of Japan in Tokyo on Dec. 31 with South African Hekkie Budler getting first crack at the winner.
November 18 ? Jerwin Ancajas WTKO6 Jamie Conlan (U.K.), retains IBF world super flyweight title, SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland,United Kingdom.
November 19 ? A street named after the late Cebu boxing legend Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde is unveiled in Mambaling, Cebu City
December 3 - Manny Pacquiao International Boxing Academy launched in China with Pacquiao signing a comprehensive agreement with Chinese partner Vincent Zhou of DingXin Sports.
December 22- IBF super flyweight champ Jerwin Ancajas signs promotional contract with Top Rank
December 26 - After a successful return to the ring this year, Brian Viloria gets a shot at the vacant WBA flyweight world title against Artem Dalakian (Ukraine), possibly in February 2018.
December 31 ? Milan Melindo LUD 12 Ryoichi Taguchi, loses IBF/WBA light flyweight unification match, Ota City Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan
LOOKING FORWARD:
It was announced more than a week ago that Nonito Donaire will face former two-division world titleholder Carl Frampton (U.K.) in Belfast in April. Donnie Nietes will defend his IBF world flyweight title against Juan Carlos Reveco (Argentina) with the location and date still to be finalized.
On February, Jerwin Ancajas will be on the road once again when he defends against Israel Gonzales (Mexico) in Texas.
There were a lot of prospects this year who continued their climb up the contender ladder. Contenders like Jhack Tepora, Romero Duno, Aston Palicte, Mark Anthony Barriga, Vince Paras, Robert Paradero, Mark Magsayo, Jonathan Taconing, Jade Bornea, Randy Petalcorin and Vic Saludar will all be looking for a big fight in 2018.
The biggest win among the contenders was Jonas Sultan?s upset over former two-division world champ Johnriel Casimero. Will Sultan get a rare all-Filipino world title showdown against Ancajas this year?
After losing his world title on the scales, will Marlon Tapales make waves as a super bantamweight?
We hope to see more world titles for the Philippines, more television coverage for local bouts and more positive reforms initiated by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).
PHOTO ? left to right ? Donnie Nietes, Jerwin Ancajas,Manny Pacquiao
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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