REY LABAO WINS PHILIPPINE LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 06 Mar 2012
Southpaw Rey Labao has won the Philippine lightweight title with a stunning 1st round TKO over fancied Jay Solmiano in a fight card of well-known promoter Sammy Gello-ani at the Cebu Coliseum on Sunday.
In a battle of talented southpaws, the 26 year old Labao who was coming off a 5th round technical decision against Jose Ocampo overcame the 25 year old Solmiano who had lost a close split decision to Japan?s Nihito Arakawa for the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title last October 4, 2011.
With the win Labao improved his record to 22-4 with 14 knockouts while Solmiano dropped to 11-2-1 with 7 knockouts.
Gello-ani told the Manila Standard that both fighters traded punches from the opening bell and Labao was hurt early but he withstood the attack of Solmiano and caught him with a terrific left hook. He csaid although Solmiano stood up at the count of eight his knees werte wobbly and referee Tony Pesons made the right decision in stopping the bout.
Ocampo himself recovered from his loss to Labao when the southpaw, nicknamed ?The Bomber? shocked Weng Haya to win the vacant WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight title by a 4th round TKO.
The 22 year old Haya had only last December 17 dropped world champion Oscar Salido in rounds 3 and 4 before himself being dropped in the 8th round and losing by an 8th round TKO winning the plaudits of Mexican fight fans since Salido had won the world title with an 8th round TKO of Juan Manuel ?Juanma? Lopez on April 16, 2011.
Ocampo, a talented young fighter improved to 15-5-1 with 10 knockouts while Haya fell to 15-5 with 8 knockouts.
Gello-ani said it was ?a competitive fight? but that Haya appeared overconfident and was dropped in rounds 3 and 4 before referee Danrex Tapdasan called a halt.
The promoter said Ocampo had ?trained hard for this fight and did his job.?
Ciso ?Kid Terrible? Morales kept his unblemished record since his 1st round TKO defeat at the hands of WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando ?Cochulito? Montiel on February 13, 2010 at the Las Vegas Hilton with a 4th round TKO of Joash Apericio who was dropped by a low blow and failed to recover within the 5 minutes allotted him by the rules and lost.
The 24 year old Morales moved to 16-2-1 with 9 knockouts.
Gello-ani explained that Morales caught Apericio with an accidental low blow but after five minutes Apericio decided to quit and referee Ben Necessario awarded Morales a TKO victory which is according to the rules.
Photo: Rey Labao (C) gets the Philippine lightweight belt Sunday at the Cebu Coliseum in Cebu City as referee Tony Pesons (L) and Promoter Sammy Gello-ani (R) raise his hands in victory.
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