Unheralded Filipino Jilo Merlin in tough battle against former world champ Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym today in Chiang Mai
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 05 Mar 2012
This afternoon in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, the PABA super bantamweight title fight will take place between former WBA world title holder and defending PABA champion Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (45-2, 31KOs), and unheralded huge underdog filipino challenger Jilo Merlin (11-12-1-, 2KOs).
Jilo Merlin, 23, who has lost seven of his last 10 fights, will be making his sixth fight in the Kingdom, all of them loses, plus KO defeats from the hands of undefeated Japanese Teiru Kinoshita and top ranked bantamweight Pungluang Sor Singyu (KO in round 1).
Nevertheless, Jilo Merlin, 23, has been ranked among the best Asian fighters by the Pan Asia Boxing Association PABA, an organization of the WBA.
The supervisor for this combat is PABA director himself, Mr. Alan Kim of Korea, while the Thai promoter is the well-known promotion company Galaxy Boxing of Mr. Niwat Laosuwanwatt who will air the combat live on open TV channel 7 throughout the Kingdom of Thailand.
International boxing agent Brico Santig of Highland Boxing of Baguio is the Filipino matchmaker and cornerman who will assist Jilo Merlin in his very difficult assignment against the powerful seasoned world ranked warrior Poonsawat
Brico Santig expects to bring good luck to Jilo Merlin as Santig was member of the Sonny Boy Jaro's boxing team during the recent stunning KO victory of Sonny Boy over durable world champion Pongsaklek Wongjongkam last Saturday in Chonburi, Thailand. With the triumph Sonny Boy Jaro became WBC flyweight champion of the world and Santig keep high hopes for another surprising success, the PABA super bantamweight title.
The weight-in ceremony for Poonsawat and Merlin took place successfully yesterday in Chiang Mai City, the legendary beautiful northern spring city in the Kingdom of Thailand.
In the mind of boxing analysts, the fight will be an extremely tough battle for Jilo Merlin as Poonsawat is a fighter of strength, stamina and experience who dishes out harmful shots in lethal combinations.
Indeed, Poonsawat, 31, possesses an aggressive stalking fighting style, accompanied of a harmful left jab, accurate straight right and dangerous left hook in repetition to the chin and mid-section, which he throws with devastating power.
In addition, Poonsawat is one of the star fighters of Galaxy Boxing, one of the top boxing promotion companies in the Kingdom.
Therefore, Jilo Merlin's chances of victory are rather slim, but not totally impossible.
In aim for victory, Jilo Merlin would have to use extreme speed of hands and feet, a precise jab, quick lateral movements to avoid Poonsawat entrapment into the corners and, most importantly, a very effective counter punching technique, a technique similar to the one used by Juan Manuel Marquez to successfully control attacks attempted by Manny Pacquiao.
This PhilBoxing reporter has been in ringside to witness Poonsawat in fighting action. One of those intense actions was Poonsawat's WBA title battle in the remote City of Mahasarakham in Isam, northeastern Thailand, not far from the Cambodia border, against Japanese Shoji Kimura.
The unequivocal conclusion is that this Thai gladiator Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym is a huge damaging puncher with skills, ring savvy and a patient hunger for KO, definite tough nut for Jilo Merlin to crack.
Photo: Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym and Jilo Merlin pose with officials for the cameras during the weight-in ceremony yesterday in Chiang Mai. In the far left of the photo is Mr. Alan Kim fight supervisor and director of PABA.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
SPORTS SHORTS 285: AMIR KHAN ACCEPTS OFFER FOR AN EXHIBITION MATCH WITH MANNY PACQUIAO
By Maloney L. Samaco, Mon, 25 Nov 2024FOGOUM, TOSHIHIKO, KIM, RATTAWUT, RUF, CHUTINAN IN ACTION IN HIGHLAND’S EXCITING “SHOWDOWN” NOV 28 AT SPACEPLUS IN BANGKOK, THAILAND
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 25 Nov 2024Gil Robiego Co Elected New APPBRO President for 2025-2027
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 25 Nov 2024Garma wins, climbs to 8th place
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 25 Nov 2024Davao futsal scores 1st win
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 25 Nov 2024Filipino FIDE Master Mario Mangubat is the new FIDE World Senior 65 over category Rapid Champion
Sun, 24 Nov 2024Thunderdome 48 - Jude Grant vs Fano Kori
Sun, 24 Nov 2024World Boxing backs plan to create a new Confederation in Asia
Sun, 24 Nov 2024The message is clear – Asian Boxing Confederation remains united with the IBA
Sun, 24 Nov 2024OSCAR DE LA HOYA FOUNDATION HOSTS 25TH ANNUAL TURKEY GIVEAWAY FOR EAST LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY
Sun, 24 Nov 2024Life vs. Death: The Ultimate Ringside Showdown Immortalized in Pierce Egan’s Boxiana
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sat, 23 Nov 2024SPORTS SHORTS 284: TEAM MARK MAGSAYO CONFIRMS RETURN TO THE RING ON DECEMBER 14
By Maloney L. Samaco, Sat, 23 Nov 2024RJP Boxing promotes in Bucana on Dec. 17
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 23 Nov 2024Good Prospects at Minimumweight, Light Fly, Super Bantam and Super Feather in 2025
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Sat, 23 Nov 2024Filipino International Master Chito Danilo Garma is the new World Senior Blitz champion; Filipino FIDE Master Mario Mangubat takes the bronze medal
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 23 Nov 2024