YEAREND RECAP: Reviewing the Philippine Boxing Scene 2010 (Part I)
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 31 Dec 2010
We started 2010 with four world champions and two interim champions. By July, close observers of the fight game started to question if we had spoken too soon in declaring the Golden age of Philippine boxing. The year started on a rather sullen note, with Brian Viloria losing his IBF lt.flyweight title to Carlos Tamara of Colombia. This was the only world title fight held in the country this year.
One month later Marvin Sonsona was felled by a body blow inside a Puerto Rican ring in his attempt to win a second world title. During one of the pre-fight press conferences, Wilfredo Vasquez vowed to end Sonsona?s career. The 20 year old Gensan southpaw has yet to return to the ring.
Rodel Mayol would lose his WBC flyweight title in a rematch with Omar Ni?o Romero in June. This was followed by Johnriel Casimero losing his WBO interim lt.flyweight title in Mexico. Edrin Dapudong had a short lived reign as WBC silver flyweight champion.
The likes of Ciso Morales, Balweg Bangoyan, Richie Mepranum and Bernabe Concepcion lost in their attempts to win another world title for the country.
BRIGHT SPOTS:
Philippine boxing is still in a state of ?Manny Pacquiao and the rest of them.? It is hard to match the Pacman?s cross over appeal abroad. Despite his showbiz ventures and victorious congressional run he managed to defend his welterweight title against Joshua Clottey by a one-sided unanimous decision and won a historic eighth world title fighting as an undersized welterweight against Antonio Margarito in the 154 lb division.He remains the best pound for pound boxer in the world.
Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes beat Mexico?s Jesus Silvestre by 10th round TKO in a non-title fight last January in Pasay City and retained his WBO minimumweight world title for the fourth time - his third title fight in Mexico ? against Mario Rodriguez in August. Nietes has silently become out third longest reigning world champion and one of our two remaining world champions by year's end.
Nonito Donaire is in the top five of Ring magazine?s pound for pound list. After easily beating Mexicans Manuel Vargas and Hernan Marquez at 115 lbs, the Filipino Flash moved up to bantamweight and finished the year with an exclamation point by inflicting a brutal 4thround stoppage win over Vladimir Sidorenko of Ukraine. Donaire is scheduled to face Fernando Montiel in February in what would be his biggest fight since knocking out Vic Darchinyan in 2007.
Drian ?Gintong Kamao? Francisco won the WBA interim superflyweight belt relinquished by Donaire when he beat Duangpetch Kokietgym by 10th round TKO last November in Thailand. Last April, Francisco knocked out Panama's Ricardo Nunez in the 5th round in a bout held in Pasig City.
ROAD WARRIORS:
Aside from Nietes and Francisco, a few Filipino boxers had notable accomplishments on the road, winning regional titles.
Rocky Fuentes ? went on a seven month rampage in Japan by winning the OPBF flyweight title plus two successful title defenses. Capped his incredible year with a jaw jarring left hook in the second round against Inthanon Sithchamuang at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. The 26 year old from Mambaling, Cebu was named by his father after his favourite movie character Rocky Balboa and is living proof that Sylvester Stallone deserves a place in the Boxing Hall of Fame.
Malcolm Tu?acao ? the 32 year old former world champ made sure he was not forgotten by winning the vacant OPBF Bantamweight title in South Korea against Seung-suk Chae by split decision. He made two successful title defenses in Japan against Kohei Oba (UD 10) and Hidenobu Honda (TKO 5).
Michael Landero ? won the vacant OPBF minimumweight title last March in Japan by 9th round TKO against Kenichi Horikawa. Returned to Japan four months later and stopped Yasutaka Kuroki in the 8th round.
Jonel Alibio ? scored a stunning 6th round KO win over the more experienced Naoki Matsuda in Tokyo last November, winning the OPBF featherweight title.
The likes of Allan Ta?ada and Randy Suico had short lived OPBF title reigns. Ta?ada was in for a breakout year after beating Jose Ocampo for the WBO As-Pac Youth title in a thrilling ten rounder then knocking out Rikiya Fukuhara in the third round in Japan for the OPBF superfeatherweight title last September. But he lost his title last December 5 by 5th round TKO against Masao Nakamura.
Suico would win his third OPBF title in as many weight divisions last May with a 5th round TKO win over Kyung Suk Kwak in South Korea. Two months later, he lost his OPBF Lt.welterweight by split decision to Motoki Sasaki in Japan.
Roli Gasca ? slick but feather fisted, he scored only the second knockout of his career by shocking the erstwhile WBA number 3 ranked contender and and defending champion Tabtimdaeng Na Rachawat for the Pan Asian Boxing Association (PABA) Bantamweight title in Buriram, Thailand.
Dan Nazareno ? won the PABA lt.weltweight title last September with a 6th round TKO over Manfa Lukaikongdin in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Nazareno would lose in a WBC international title bout three months later.
Allan Jay Tuniacao - won the vacant Pan Asian Boxing Association (PABA) superbantamweight title in Victoria, Australia last July, beating the previously undefeated hometown boy Daniel Iannazzo by a twelve round split decision. Tuniacao's name would reappear in a more disturbing note last October when the Sydney Morning Herald ran a story about a family "recruiting Filipino boxers to fight in Australia is under investigation for allegedly keeping the men in slave-like conditions in a Sydney garage." The Filipino boxing journal website then featured a story naming Tuniacao as one of the boxers who filed an exploitation case against his handlers. Tuniacao's last fight was still in Victoria, Australia last September, a four round points win against Skak Max.
Even Czar Amonsot made a reappearance in Australia last September, knocking out Thai Sirichai Ekchumpol for the vacant WBO Asia-Pacific lightweight title.
Mercito 'No Mercy" Gesta continues to make noise in the U.S., winning the NABO Youth lightweight title. Mark Jason Melligen had three wins in the U.S. and returned to the ALA Gym last October to stop Mexico's Bladimir Hernandez at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. Dennis Laurente is way overdue for a big fight after two wins in Texas, beating Ben Tackie and Rashad Holloway.
Women?s pro boxing:
Gretchen Abaniel - - retained her WIBA Women's International Boxing Association minimumweight title with a ten round unanimous decision win over Fahpratan Looksaikongdin of Thailand in Pasay City. Beat another Thai on points, Nongbua Lookprai-aree, in an eight rounder held in Para?aque City last October.
Ana ?The Hurricane? Julaton ? continues to be the most recognizable Filipina fighter. ?The Hurricane? lost to Lisa Brown by unanimous decision in Ontario, Canada but bounced back by winning the vacant WBO female super bantamweight title by split decision against Maria Elena Villalobos of Mexico. The California based boxer visited her Philippine roots in Pangasinan last July. She also tried her hand as a trainer and her student, Nate "The Moose" Houghteling won the main event of the White Collar Brawler Web Reality series.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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