Suarez delivers as promised
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 14 Dec 2022
It didn’t take long for Rio Olympian Charly Suarez to make good on his promise to show no mercy in halting Indonesian Defry Palulu in their scheduled 12-round bout for the vacant IBF Asia superfeatherweight title in Vietnam Saturday night. Suarez blasted Palulu from pillar to post and left him unable to continue at the end of the second round, prompting Thai referee Surat Soikrachang to end the fight.
Palulu surrendered in his corner, complaining of blurry vision in his left eye and what seemed like a broken nose. A swelling was evident on the bridge of his nose. The loss ended an unbeaten streak of 11 fights, including a technical draw with Filipino Rey Juntilla, since 2017 as Palulu’s record dipped to 25-3-2, with 14 KOs. Suarez upped his mark to 14-0, with 8 KOs and registered his first abbreviated win in his last four outings. He’s now the WBA Asia, IBF Asia and Philippine 130-pound champion.
Palulu, 31, stood 2 1/2 inches taller and enjoyed a reach advantage but Suarez, 34, wasn’t dismayed. Suarez repeatedly penetrated Palulu’s southpaw defense with a jarring right straight and never allowed the Indonesian to take control. In the first round, Palulu came out aggressively but Suarez found his counter range early, sending the Indonesian known as the “Unseen Hammer” on his backfoot. “Sukatan kami sa umpisa,” said Suarez who finished the brief contest unmarked. “Timing lang. Ako ang nagdala ng laban at ‘di ko siya inayaan mauna. ‘Di ako nagmadali, jab at upper straight ang ginamit ko, kung minsan counter, kung minsan pasugod.”
Suarez turned on the heat in the second round as he unloaded furious combinations to push Palulu into the corners where he sought refuge. The Filipino “King’s Warrior” dominated each exchange with Palulu retreating under heavy fire. Curiously, Suarez said he didn’t look for a quick ending. “Balak namin ni coach (Delfin Boholst), bumanat umpisa ng fifth round at ingat lang na walang cut sa first hanggang fourth round baka tigilin ng referee at maging technical draw,” he said. But when Palulu showed signs of slowing down, Suarez attacked to finish him off. “Tinamaan siya sa mata at ininda niya kasi pikit ng pikit,” said Suarez. When the bell rang, Palulu walked back to his corner and declined to come out for the third round.
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