
Wilfredo Mendez Stops Foe, Retains WBO 105 Lbs. World Title in Panama
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 10 Feb 2020

PANAMA CITY, Panama -- WBO Minimumweight World Champion Wilfredo "Bimbito" Mendez of Puerto Rico stopped veteran Colombian challenger Gabriel Mendoza in ten chapters for a successful second defense of his 105 world title Saturday at Hotel El Panama in Panama City. Official time for the TKO was 1:28 seconds in round 10.
Faster and more crafty, the 23-year-old "Bimbito" Mendez (16-1, 6 KO's) made perfect use of his superior boxing skills to outclass the rather disorganized, head-first Mendoza (30-7-2, 23 KO's), who lacked weapons of quality to counter the accurate display of good boxing delivered by the younger, more talented Puerto Rican fighter, Puerto Rico's one and only current male boxing world champion today.
The speedster southpaw Mendez -- who prior to the stoppage was clearly outclassing Mendoza in every single round -- shared during Panama's COS TV post-fight interview that his next WBO world title defense will be against Chinese WBO International Minimumweight # 1 mandatory challenger Jing Xiang (17-4-2, 3 KO's).
Referee Hector Afu stopped the combat at 1.28 in round 10.
The Mendez vs Xiang rumble was being planned to take place in China. However, due to the Wuhan Coronavirus situation, the prospect of Wilfredo Mendez traveling to China for a title defense there is now off the table.
So the 105 lbs mandatory defense against Jiang Xiang might take place in Puerto Rico, Panama or somewhere else.
In attendance during the rumble at Hotel El Panama was WBO President Paco Varcarcel, WBO Vice president Rolando Marcos-Hermoso as well as Panama boxing legend "Hands of Stone" Roberto Duran.
Filipino 105-pound fighters in the WBO world-rankings are:
WBO # 2 is former world champ "Vicious" Vic Saludar (20-4, 11 KO's), WBO # 3 unbeaten Robert Paradero (18-0, 12 KO's) of Bukidnon, WBO # 6 Melvin Jerusalem (15-2, 9 KO's) of Cebu's ALA Gym, and WBO # 9 Zamboangueño Rene Mark Cuarto (18-2-2, 11 KO's).
MORE RESULTS FROM PANAMA
In a regional WBO title battle, tough Mexican 122-pounder "El Potro" Jose Martin Estrada Garcia (11-2-1, 5 KO's) defeated Puerto Rican Luis Lebron (17-2-1, 10 KO's) to claim the vacant WBO Latino Super Bantamweight Title.
Also, in a collision of undefeated warriors, unbeaten Panamanian bantamweight Orlando Peñalba (10-0, 2 KO's) bested 23-year-old Keiver Fernandez (20-1-1, 12 KO's) of Maracay, Venezuela, to conquer the vacant WBO Latino 118-pound strap and a place in the WBO world ranking.
And in flyweights, hard-swinging Costa Rica slugger David Jimenez (7-0, 6 KO's) was forced to go the distance by experienced Dominican Republic veteran Jonathan Arias (17-16, 15 KO's).
The author Carlos Costa of Panama is a veteran boxing reporter living in the Philippines. Carlos can be reached at carlos512@hotmail.com and whatsapp +639184538152.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
PIONEERING FILIPINO BOXERS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT ON FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH (PART II)
By Dong Secuya, Fri, 17 Oct 2025MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS PRESENTS “COUNTDOWN TO THRILLA IN MANILA” AND “THRILLA IN MANILA 50”
Fri, 17 Oct 2025Rafael Espinoza-Arnold Khegai Featherweight World Title Showdown Set for Nov. 15 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
Fri, 17 Oct 2025Irish welterweight contender Paddy Donovan Positioned for another World title shot
Fri, 17 Oct 2025DAY ONE: TEAM ASIA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT WHITEWASH AS AJ ‘STARBOY’ MANAS SHINES
Fri, 17 Oct 2025CONNOR MITCHELL SIGNS FOR MATCHROOM BOXING AND DREAMS OF SURPASSING HIS LEGENDARY FATHER
Fri, 17 Oct 2025CONWAY-LIDDARD YORK HALL WEIGH-IN RESULTS
Thu, 16 Oct 2025PR Run - Break Your Record on Oct. 19
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 16 Oct 2025PIONEERING FILIPINO BOXERS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT ON FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH (PART I)
By Dong Secuya, Thu, 16 Oct 2025BOXING HALL OF FAME RELEASES FALL 2025 LETTER OF APPEAL SEEKING FUNDRAISING SUPPORT
Thu, 16 Oct 2025Mendoza bags bronze
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 16 Oct 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 20: MUHAMMAD ALI VS. JOE FRAZIER III ON OCTOBER 1, 1975 AT THE ARANETA COLISEUM
By Maloney L. Samaco, Thu, 16 Oct 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: History of Boxing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 16 Oct 2025YORK HALL PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AS CONWAY AND LIDDARD GET SET FOR HUGE DOMESTIC CLASH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Unbeaten Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes Set for Return on October 18 Against Derlyn Hernandez-Geraldo in Long Beach
Wed, 15 Oct 2025