'Bunso' to carry Elorde flag
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 24 Aug 2019
From left to right, Ronel Sumalpong, April Jay Abne. Gerry Penalosa, Aljum Pelesio and Lienard Sarcon.
Ronel Sumalpong, 22, is the youngest of five children and older brother Rolly, 25, is the only other fighter in the family. Boxing is the brothers? way to battle poverty. Rolly started his ring career on a high note, going undefeated in his first 10 outings but has now won only twice in his last six bouts.
Ronel has an 8-1-1 record, with 5 KOs and is lined up to face April Jay Abne for the Ultimate Boxing Series (UBS) flyweight title at the TV5 Studios in Novaliches tomorrow (Sunday, Aug. 25). For Ronel, losing isn?t an option. He survived the tryouts in Manila conducted by matchmaker Art Monis to join a select pool of 20 fighters vying for honors in promoter Gerry Penalosa?s reality TV series. In all, over 100 hopefuls showed up for tryouts in Manila, Cebu and Davao. Ronel says he didn?t reach this far only to lose.
Ronel works out of Bebot Elorde?s stable in Paranaque and veteran trainer Artcher Villamor makes sure he?s in tip-top shape. He?s inspired by stablemates Joe Noynay and Jun Blazo, both climbing up the ratings. For Ronel, it?s an honor to fight under the Elorde banner and he won?t let the fabled family name down.
The stain in Ronel?s record was a loss by a majority six-round decision to Justine Darap last year. He blames himself for the setback because of lack of preparation. Ronel has since bounced back to score four wins and post one draw. The majority six-round draw was with Joseph Bayubay and he nearly lost. Ronel went down in the last round and was lucky to escape with a draw.
?Tinamaan ako ng straight,? recalls Ronel. ?Tumayo naman ako kaagad. Off-balance lang kasi. Pero masama ang pakiramdam ko bago lumaban. Mayroon akong nakain o nainom na hindi maganda. Labas pasok ako sa banyo. Nakabawi naman ako sa susunod na tatlong laban.? Two of Ronel?s next three fights were wins on points over Ruben Dadivas and Ian Refuela in the UBS tournament to advance him to the final.
Against Abne, Ronel brings a lot of experience to the table. Ronel has figured in four four-rounders and six six-rounders so far while Abne is entering only his fourth fight as a pro. Abne, 20, had a sensational debut in halting Marvin Laping in the first round, scoring three knockdowns in the process, last February. Then, the former amateur standout from the Wild Boxing Gym in Cebu posted two straight wins in the UBS, dropping Ronel de la Cruz once enroute to an easy decision and outpointing Bayubay, the same fighter who floored Ronel last year.
Abne is the eighth of 13 children. His father Luciano, 61, is a driver and car washer while his mother Alicia, 58, is a fruit vendor. He?s one of six boxers in Englishman John Wild?s stable. Wild comes and goes from the UK and has a Filipina wife Josel. When Abne was 12, trainer Winnie Galero taught him how to box and as he got better, former WBF welterweight champion Dondon Sultan took over the polishing chores.
More a technician than a brawler, Abne says he patterns his style after his idols Gerry and Dave Penalosa with the heart of Sen. Manny Pacquiao. For Abne, it?s all about a combination of power, quickness and timing. ?More experienced daw si Sumalpong pero malawak din ang experience ko sa amateur,? says Abne. ?Nahirapan siya kay Bayubay na tinalo ko. Paramirahan ito ng suntok. Gagawin ko ang lahat para manalo----ilag, distansya, sabayan. Pag sumuntok siya ng isa, susukluin ko ng tatlo.? Abne?s record is 3-0, with 1 KO.
The Sumalpong-Abne fight is one of two UBS finals to be settled tomorrow. The other pits Aljum Pelesio and Lienard Sarcon for the UBS bantamweight title. In the main event, Carlo Penalosa takes on Mexico?s Maximino Flores for the vacant IBO flyweight crown. The show starts at 12 noon and is free to the public.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS TADURAN VS. PEREZ WEIGH-IN RESULTS
Fri, 03 Apr 2026PLANET ICE FIGHT NIGHT: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AS BROWN AND DUCAR FACE-OFF FOR FINAL TIME
Fri, 03 Apr 2026Battle of the Trades Returns for Its 3rd Year April 25 at Torrey Pines Community Resource Center in Las Vegas
Fri, 03 Apr 2026Bobby Laing vs. Russ Kimber in intriguing Intra-state match-up between Massachusetts Light Heavyweights on ‘Rumble at the Rink II’
Fri, 03 Apr 2026PH chess wizard Jacobb Seda ties for 1st, settles for silver on tiebreaks in Thailand meet
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 03 Apr 2026Rene “Chulo” Santiago, Masataka Taniguchi Officially Make Weight for Friday’s Unified World Title Clash in Tokyo
Thu, 02 Apr 2026Marlon Tapales and Yukinori Oguni Make Weight in Clash of Former World Champions
Thu, 02 Apr 2026Taduran in high spirits ahead of title defense in California
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 02 Apr 2026Waiting to beat Floyd
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 02 Apr 202620th Philippine Xiangqi Open tournament on May 1
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 02 Apr 2026Can Tapales Overpower Oguni to Increase his Chances of Another World Title Fight?
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 02 Apr 2026BROWN-DUCAR PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES IN FULL: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AHEAD OF FRIDAY'S ALTRINCHAM FIGHT NIGHT
Thu, 02 Apr 2026Wise Owl Boxing Makes Headlines Again with Signing of Former World Champion Julio Cesar “El Rey” Martinez
Thu, 02 Apr 2026Santiago-Taniguchi Final Presser
Wed, 01 Apr 2026Jimuel in Action on Friday!
By Carlos Costa, Wed, 01 Apr 2026