PHILIPPINES VS. THE WORLD SIDELIGHTS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Aug 2010
CEBU CITY ? Waterfront Hotel and Casino Grand Ballroom was jampacked here with boxing enthusiasts from all walks of life who wanted to see our local boxing heroes pitted against their respective foes from other parts of the world. Boxing personalities and elected officals were also there. Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno and world champion Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes, among others, were introduced atop the ring before the main event. Nietes got the loudest applause among the VIP?s called.
Mexican Alejandro Barrera was able to put up a good fight against Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista but was unable to continue after the referee halted the bout in the fourth round due to a large gash caused by Bautista?s punch. It was not inflicted by an accidental headbutt, as the referee saw it, so the ALA boxer won by a technical decision. The fight ended abruptly as the audience would have wanted to see more action.
It was Milan ?Melinyo? Melindo who became the darling of the crowd with his very impressive knockout victory over Korean Jin-Man Jeon in the second round. Korean tourists and residents in Cebu rooted for their countryman, who was no match with the thundering upper cut and left hook of the ALA boy. With 22 wins and no defeat in his entire professional career, all hopes are now pinned on Melindo to become the next world champion as he wants to challenge any available world titlist of lower weight divisions when he was interviewed by ABS-CBN before cheering fans at the Waterfront.
Pipino Cuevas, Jr. was not a chip of the old block that night as he looked unprepared for the fight. Jimrex Jaca easily disposed him in the first round as the Mexican did not live up to the fans? expectations. The ?Executioner? received wild cheers from the fans as he emerged victious over the good-looking but awkward-fighting Cuevas.
Former world champion Florante Condes knocked Indonesian Sofyan Effindi down in the sixth round. But a low blow by Condes on the same round gave Effindi a chance to clear the cobwebs on his head to survive the onslaught inflicted on him by the Filipino ex-world titlist. Condes convincingly won by a unanimous decision but fans lustily wanted a KO win.
Jun ?Flash? Entor provided comic relief for boxing fans with his funny antics atop the ring. Dressed with a cape printed ?Flash? showing his monicker when he was introduced, he delighted the crowd with windmill punches and spreading of his arms to entice opponent Jaime Alin, Jr. to box his uncovered face. Entor won a split decision in four rounds, causing the crowd to laugh more as he pose for fans who wanted to take pictures of him.
Naozumi Tsuchiyama of Japan lost his bout to Marlon Alta, in what many fans saw as a premature stoppage of the fight in the second round. The Japanese won the admniration of the crowd as he fought gallantly with an artificial right leg. He received loud cheers as he waved to the fans after the bout. We saw him at a restaurant at the I.T. Park later that night with his Japanese team.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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