TUNACAO REGAINS OPBF BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 07 Feb 2010
Former world flyweight champion Malcolm “Eagle Eye” Tunacao has regained his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation bantamweight title with a split decision win over South Korea’s Seung Suk-Chae in Mungyoeng, southeast of the capital of Seoul.
The 31 year old southpaw Tunacao had a hard time against the tough 30 year old Korean as they battled for the title relinquished by champion Alexander Bakhtin of Russia last October 9, 2009. Bakhtin faces Nick Otieno in a WBC bantamweight title eliminator in Russia on February 22.
Tunacao who trained at the ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer also sparred in Japan with WBC world champion Hozumi Hasegawa on two visits to Tokyo.
Tunacao regained the OPBF title he lost to fellow Filipino Rolly Lunas who used the name Rolly Matsushita when he was managed by a Japanese. Tunacao dropped a 10th round technical decision on January 13, 2007 but slowly settled down and worked his way back into the ratings as the No.1 contender while Seung Suk Chae was ranked No. 2.
The former world champion won the WBC title with a sensational 7th round TKO win over Medgoen Singsurat (3K Battery) on who had earlier won the title with a 3rd round knockout of Manny Pacquiao on September 17, 1999 after Pacquiao couldn’t make the weight and was totally dehydrated on fight night. Tunacao lost the title with a stunning 1st round knockout to Pongsaklek Wongjongkam on March 2, 2001.
Tunacao set up the title shot after scoring an 8th round unanimous decision over Takuto Nanba on July 14, 2009 while Seung Suk Chae scored a 9th round TKO over Sung Young Lee last July 25, 2009.
With the loss Korean bantamweight champion dropped to 16-2 with 6 knockouts while Tunacao improved to 25-2-3, 15 knockouts.
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