MEXICANS APPLAUD SABAUPAN?S GALLANT STAND DESPITE 9TH ROUND TKO LOSS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 22 Apr 2012
Mexicans applauded previously undefeated Filipino southpaw Al Sabaupan?s gallant stand against devastating puncher Marvin Quintero in a lightweight title eliminator in Mexico, Sunday Manila Time, even though Sabaupan lost by a 9th round TKO when referee Robert Byrd decided Sabaupan had taken too many shots and decided to call a halt to the battering.
Sabaupan?s manager Elmer Anuran told the Manila Standard it was ?an old time gladiators for the Mexican fans and was the best fight of the evening.?
He said Sabaupan got knocked down in round one and then came back and brawled for the rest of the fight. He connected with some power punches that bloodied Quintero?s mouth. It was a great fight but Quintero?s experience mattered a lot.?
Anuran said that in his honest opinion that if the fight took place in Manila, Sabaupan ?could have pulled off an upset.? He claimed ?Al wanted to throw more punches but and there was still the effect of the jetlag. He cried even when he was in the ring. Quintero raised his hand and Al did the same. I know he will come back.?
Anuran said it was ?a great fight but Al came up short.? He said Byrd stopped the fight when Sabaupan ?absorbed combinations in the middle of round nine without throwing punches back. I know Al was still okay but he received a lot of punches already that?s why we embraced him its okay, there?s always a fight next time. He wanted to continue and I understand that.?
The manager said one judge told him that Sabaupan ?is one hell of a fighter.?
Zanfer Promotions Juan Carlos in an email to Solar Sports Peter Chanliong said Mexicans love Sabaupan and want to bring him back.
Carlos said ?I salute Sabaupan for showing a real big heart of a Filipino.?
Anuran said he also wished to thank Chanliong ?for giving Al moral support when he was crying after the fight, sending him a message that it was a learning experience and plan to give Sabaupan an opportunity to train in the US. We realized that Sabaupan is one in a million type of fighter . Giving him a next level type of training will surely put a clear chance to achieve his dream of becoming a world champion someday.?
The youthful manager said they wished to thank the Mexican people ?for the series of standing ovations and for their appreciation in calling Al ?Champion.?
Even during the weigh fans appreciated Sabaupan and chanted Manny Pacquiao?s name during the event. Prior to the fight Anuran told us he expected a knockout either way.
The IBF title eliminator was Sabaupan?s first fight abroad with his first setback dropping his record to 18-1-1 with 13 knockouts while the 25 year old Quintero improved to 25-3 with v21 knockouts.
With the win Quintero earned a mandatory title shot at IBF champion Miguel Vazquez who has a record of 30-3 with 13 knockouts.
Promoter Gary Shaw whose outfit co-promoted the event with Zanfer had predicted the fight wouldn?t go the distance. He said before the fight that ?when you have two hungry fighters determined to become a world champion, it is always a great event for the fans. Both of these warriors are battling for the right to dethrone Vazquez who currently holds the lightweight strap. In addition, Mexico vs the Philippines is always a heated rivalRy which brings added excitement to the event. I don?t think this fight is going the distance. The fans can expect a lot of fireworks on fight night.? And they surely did.
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