BRAVEHEART FIGHTERS SHINE
By Emmanuel B. Villaruel
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 24 Feb 2009
Although Pe?alosa was the headliner of the slambang event, rising stars Rolando Magbanua and Jundy Maraon of the North Cotabato-based Braveheart Boxing Gym came to be the stars of the night with their earth-shaking performances.
The flashy Magbanua installed himself as a legitimate world title contender by stopping Mexico's Jose Angel Cota at 1:08 round six to snatch the interim WBO Oriental bantamweight belt. He bombarded Cota with all kind of punches, forcing the Mexican's corner to throw in the towel.
The other revelation was Jundy Maraon, who dethroned Jason Egera with a frightening third-round knockout to emerge as the new WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight crown-holder.
Maraon planted a powerful left hand to the face that outrightly sent Egera sprawling on the canvass, prompting referee Teddy Alivio to wisely intervene and wave off the match at 1:56 of round three. It took Egera several minutes to regain his senses with an aid of an oxygen tank. Ringside physician Jose Unabia later cleared him to be out of danger.
Glenn Porras, another promising Mindanao brawler, also wowed the crowd by knocking down Thai Daothon Sithsoey two times en route to a fine TKO win at 2:26 for the very first round.
"It's a good thing that we exposed our fighters from Mindanao before a huge Cebuano crowd. I believe it will further boost their morale," said North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pi?ol, who co-promoted the event with Sammy G. Gello-ani of SGG Sports Promotions in partnership with giant TV network ABS-CBN and the
city government of Cebu.
The rest of the results: Edrin Dapudong won by unanimous decision over Ruther del Castillo, Lorenzo "Ensoy" Villanueva floored Joy Pol at 1:56 of the second round, Richard Betos flattened Mike Romulo at 1:35 of round six, Jestoni Pepito prevailed over Edison Serrano by split decision, Rommel Asenjo decked Marlon Villanueva at at 2:23 of round three, and Jermie Jabel triumphed over Manny Talisic by unanimous verdict.
The only letdown among the visiting Mindanao warriors was Glenn Gonzales, who lost to Jose Ocampo by unanimous decision.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Emmanuel B. Villaruel.
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