MAGBANUA, BATAWANG DEFEND WBO CROWNS TODAY
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 25 Apr 2009
Two WBO regional titles will be put on the line today as the "Thriller in April" card takes place tonight at the Cebu Coliseum presented by North Cotabato vice-governor Manny Pinol and Sammy Gello-ani.
The bouts are expected to be surefire competitive bouts from top to bottom, assured the organizers, indicating that there will be no sure winner in each bout.
The main event will feature WBO interim Oriental bantam champion Rolando "Smooth Operator" Magbanua of Braveheart Stable defending his title for the first time against Thailand's Wan Sithsaithong in a 12-round showdown.
Pinol, who has been guiding Magbanua's career, informed yesterday that should Magbanua come out victorious, he will then try to arrange for a world title crack for his ward.
The veteran Batawang, still considered very dangerous at 36, will defend his WBO Oriental junior flyweight title against Braveheart Stable's Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong.
All main event fighters made weight at yesterday's official weigh-in supervised by WBO Asia Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo.
Tonight's bouts will be aired via "live streaming" on the internet by www.pinoyboxingtv.com , according to Pinol.
An exciting undercard pits Korean Jong Hwa Lee against Braveheart's Richard Betos in an 8-round showdown.
For the first time in local boxing, the two main events will be using the locally-made Tibay Gloves, which has now made inroads into producing quality gloves in the mold of the Cleto Reyes gloves from Mexico.
First bout starts at 7PM.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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