Suarez Stops Fleming in 12th Round, Won IBO World Title Eliminator
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 16 Mar 2023
Former Olympian and regional amateur boxing standout Charly Suarez comes within a fight of his dream to become a world champion by stopping erstwhile unbeaten Australian Paul Fleming in the 12th and final round of their fight for four International titles including the IBO Intercontinental super featherweight crown which was also a world title eliminator.
Still undefeated and rated as IBF #8 super featherweight Suarez (15-0, 9 KOs) stopped WBA #11, IBF #13 rated Fleming (now 28-1-1, 18 KOs) in round twelve of an action-packed bout on Wednesday night at the Kevin Betts Stadium in MtDruitt, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Suarez outworked Fleming in the early rounds but Fleming took control in the middle rounds. In round twelve, Suarez dropped Fleming with a left hook and at 1:58 the referee crowned Suarez, who also captured the IBF Intercontinental, WBC Asian and WBA Oceania titles.
Fleming who is rated #2 in Australia just behind former unified world champion George Kambosos, held the height and reach advantages over Suarez but those did not help him as Suarez attacked him from the earlier rounds and timed him very well in close quarters fighting.
In the later rounds, Suarez also proved he has more left in tank as Fleming was fighting on unsteady legs. In the 12th, Suarez timed him with a powerful left hook that sent him down head first to the canvas. Fleming beat the referee's count but another flurry by Sanchez against the visibly gassed Fleming convinced the referee to stop the fight and award the victory to the Filipino.
After beating Fleming, Suarez now hopes to join countryman flyweight Dave Apolinario as IBO world champion by taking on reigning IBO super featherweight titlist Anthony Cacece of North Ireland in his next major fight this year.
Since joining the paid ranks in 2019, the year he won his last SEA Games gold medal at lightweight in Manila, Suarez's pro career has been on an overdrive resulting to previous 14 straight victories, most by knockout.
Among Suarez's prominent previous victims included Tomjune Mangubat, Carlo Magali and Indonesian Defry Palulu whom he defeated decisively for the WBA and IBF Asia and the Philippine national titles.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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