FARENAS KO?S A THAI PATSY 78 SECONDS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 13 Oct 2008
An action-packed fight card at the Mandaluyong City gym before a huge crowd of fight fans ended on a sour note when the Philippines No. 1 featherweight Michael Farenas, a prot?g? of WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa, scored a first round knockout over a certified Thai patsy identified as Sorachet Tongmala in 78 seconds of the first round.
All it took was what looked like a mere tap on the Thai?s midsection by the southpaw Farenas to send Sorachet rolling onto the canvas grimacing in pain as though he had been caught with a vicious blow from a young Mike Tyson.
Sorachet supposedly had a record of 9-2 with 3 knockouts but his name or record didn?t appear in any of the recognized boxing websites.
Penalosa himself was disappointed because he told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that he wanted ?a good fight so that Farenas can be tested which didn?t happen? against the Thai.
Penalosa said he couldn?t see the real power of Farenas because the fight didn?t last even a few rounds .
Penalosa said he is aiming for a title shot for Farenas against Steven Luevano and while waiting for that to happen he was planning on a confirmed tough foe who would stretch Farenas to the limit sometime in December.
www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports learned that the original opponent who reportedly had a 15-0 record had pulled out and that Sorachet was a replacement sent to Filipino trainer Jojo Palacios who trains Thai boxers in Bangkok.
Palacios told us he "didn?t know the Thai opponent and hadn?t seen him fight" but the ring announcer claimed he was from the Singmanasak Boxing Gym and was ranked No. 3 in Thailand . Palacios said he would contact the person who sent him the fighter and get to the bottom of it.
There were some exciting bouts prior to the main event and in a Philippine Boxing Federation minimum weight title bout Ruel Lagunero pounded his way to victory over a game George Salva but the fight which was scheduled for ten rounds was cut to eight raising the issue of how a championship belt could be awarded the winner of an eight round bout.
Among those at special ringside who enjoyed the fights except the main event, aside from Penalosa who received a big hand from fight fans was the equally popular former Mayor and later Comelec chairman Ben Abalos, a diehard supporter of boxing.
Abalos consistently supported the career of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao when he was a kid fighting on the popu;ar weekly show ?Blow by Blow? which was staged at the Mandaluyong Gym.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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