In intense battle Jilo Merlin loses to Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym in round 9 in Thailand
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 06 Mar 2012
In an intense battle, world ranked former WBA super bantamweight world champion Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym of Thailand defeated unheralded Filipino Jilo Merlin via 9th round technical KO yesterday in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai.
Jilo Merlin of Agusan del Sur performed astonishingly well during the first eight rounds of the exciting combat.
The Filipino moved smart showcasing an effective technique based in speed and defense, by which Merlin was able to battle the more accomplished the experienced and dangerous Thai warrior.
The fight progressed in even terms with back and forth dominance till the 7th round when Jilo Merlin landed good power hooks in combinations, which sent Poonsawat to the ropes hurt and in apparent trouble. But the Thailander survived the remaining seconds of the round to be saved by the bell.
Poonsawat's experience and good conditioning allowed him to gain ground in the eight stanza as Merlin seemed to be tiring, due to the huge amount of energy spent during the 7th round attacks.
By ninth round, a mistake in Merlin's defense allowed one of Poonsawat's trade mark left body shots to get through, making certain damage as the Filipino fall momentarily to the canvas.
Jilo Merlin bravely stood up by the count of six and seemed to be getting his air back while showing willingness to go on in battle. But surprisingly the Thai referee waived the fight off, declaring Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym winner by technical KO in round 9.
Regardless of the loss, Merlin received a standing ovation and sincere applause from Thai fans present during the intense televised battle.
In opinion of Pinoy Brico Santig, matchmaker and cornerman of Jilo Merlin, the fight was waved off too soon.
"Merlin was not terribly hurt. It was just a knock down. Merlin was already up and ready to engage. But the referee stopped the fight so quickly... Why the ref didn't stop the fight when Poonsawat was in trouble?," commented Santig to PhilBoxing.
Brico Santig was a team member of Sonny Boy Jaro's recent big KO win over Thai Ponsaklek Wongjongkam days ago in Thailand. Recently, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam was awarded the coveted "Fighter of the Decade" award by the WBC for having fought 27 championship bouts.
"Did you notice that even when Pongsaklek Wongjongkam went to the canvas three times during the fight and got hurt by Sonny Boy Jaro, the Japanese referee (Mr. Yuji Fukuchi), was not quick to stop the combat?"
"Pongsaklek was knocked down during the fight, yet the action continued... why in the Merlin fight the referee was too quick to stop it?," commented Santig.
Moreover, veteran Thai boxing man Mr. Wat, member of Poonsawat's team acknowledged that his own fighter was "almost finished in 7th round."
The opinion of Mr. Wat was shared by PABA director and fight supervisor Mr. Alan Kim of Korea, who saw the action from ringside with the same perspective, adding that "in the seventh, Poonsawat was saved by the bell."
The battle's result was a KO loss for Jilo Merlin, but the Pinoy's physical integrity is intact and there were no cuts in the face of any of the warriors.
After the fight, Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym showed great sportmanship by coming to Jilo Merlin to congratulate him for the Filipino's great effort, a scene that can be captured in this PhilBoxing exclusive image (see image).
MORE FIGHT OPINIONS
Another Filipino boxer, Pagadian's Ranel Suco (13-6-2, 6KOs), watching the combat from from ring side commented that "Poonsawat was in near defeat. But is strong and knew how to survive and be dangerous."
Ranel Suco is in Thailand as sparring partner of WBC continental champion Terdsak Kokietgym (46-3-1, 31KOs). Terdsak Kokietgym will challenge champion Takahiro Ao for the WBC super featherweight title on April 6 in Tokyo.
In addition, fighter Dayer Gabutan (17-1-2, 8KOs), another pinoy sparring partner in Thailand, who was in ringside rooting for his kababayan, shared the same basic opinion about the combat:
"Jilo Merlin fought good, Poonsawat was tough, the referee happy to stop fight too soon."
FILIPINO SPARRING PARTNERS FOR TOP THAI FIGHTERS
Dayer Gabutan is in Thailand as sparring partner of hot pepper fighter WBA super flyweight world champion Tepparith Singwancha (19-2, 12KOs).
Teeparith Singwancha is in hard training for the WBA super flyweight unification bout against fellow champion Tomonobu Shimizu on April 4 at the Yokohama Arena in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The first defense of Teeparith Singwancha was a successful twelve rounds victory over Daiki Kameda (22-3, 14KOs) last december in Osaka.
WBA super flyweight world champion Teeparith Singwancha and fellow Thai countryman WBC world champion Suriyan Sor Rungvisai are considered the two of the best super flyweights in the world.
IN A PRELIMINAR COMBAT IVAN SORIANO DRAWS
In the preliminar fight of the Chiang Mai card, pinoy boxer Ivan Soriano (11-1-1, 6KOs) of General Santos City, drew in his light flyweight combat against Naphet Kratingdaenggym of Thailand.
MARCH 9: FILIPINO EDGAR GABEJAN FOR WBC INTERNATIONAL
Filipino journeyman Edgar Gabejan (23-26-4, 7KOs) of Western Samar will challenge Prawet Singwancha (46-3-2, 27KOs) of Thailand for the WBC International super lightweight title in a Kokiet promotion in Bangkok.
Edgar Gabejan, 30, is the Philippines Boxing Federation (PBF) lightweight champion
Gabejan's trainer, Frankie Jaro, a distant cousin of WBC flyweight world champion Sonny Boy Jaro, is already in the Kingdom of Thailand preparing Gabejan for his important WBC International title challenge.
MAY 5: FILIPINO JONATHAN TACONING FOR WBC WORLD TITLE
It has been announced that WBC light flyweight champion Kompayak Porpramook (44-3, 30KOs) will make his first title defense against promising Filipino Jonathan Taconing (12-1-1, 9KOs) on May 5 in Bangkok.
Jonathan Taconing, 25, a native of Zamboanga del Norte is the proud WBC International light flyweight champion, a title that he won via unanimous decision over veteran former muay thai combatant Ngaoprajan Chuwatana last October in Legazpi City.
Photo: Poonsawat and Merlin pose after the fight.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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