City of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico - The world flyweight title bid of the Philippines' Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong against Mexico's Hernan "Tyson" Marquez ended in a controversial fashion Saturday night as US-based Mexican referee Raul Caiz stopped the fight after a flash knockdown suffered by the Filipino challenger in the third round of the 12-round title fight.
Dapudong, 25, who was never been down before tonight's championship fight, was tagged by the Mexican champion with a left to the face as he was backing off early in the third sending him to the seat of his pants.
The Filipino stood up on his own right away and appeared unhurt. Caiz gave him the mandatory eight count but suddenly decided to wave off Dapudong out of the fight to the surprise of the challenger's corner which included former North Cotabato governor Manny Pinol, trainer Bruce Lerio and veteran cornerman Nonito Donaire, Sr.
Dapudong was in control of the fight early on connecting crisp jabs to the face of the shorter champion. In the third, he caught the champion with combination to the body and pursued the Mexican titlist to the ropes only to back off as the champion counterpunched. The unofficial scorecard of TV Azteca showed Marquez winning the first round and Dapudong earning the second.
Marquez caught Dapudong with a left to the face sending the Filipino challenger to the canvas that ended in the stoppage of the fight.
"We can't say we could have won the fight but certainly, the stoppage was premature given the fact the this is a world championship fight. Dapudong was not even hurt or marked," said Pinol.
Dapudong, who appeared bewildered by the stoppage of the fight, said he was asked by Caiz whether he wanted to continue the fight and he said he told the referee "Yes."
A replay of the fight on Azteca TV of Mexico showed Dapudong nodding his head as Caiz was asking him whether he wanted to continue the fight. Caiz, however, waved off the Filipino challenger.
"I don't know why he stopped it," Dapudong, who did not even suffer a welt as a result of the punch that led to the knockdown.
Even the legendary Mexican boxing icon Julio Cesar Chavez, who was at ringside for the television coverage of the fight, later said he thought the fight was prematurely stopped.
He later posed with Dapudong in the lobby of Hoteles Lucerna after the fight.
Pinol said that the knockdown suffered by the champion Marquez in his fight against former champion Luis Concepcion of Panama was even worse but the fight was not stopped. Marquez came back to score three knockdowns and won the title from Concepcion.
Pinol said he has expressed his displeasure over the early stoppage of the fight but he had no plans of contesting the result.
"That's part of the realities you have to face when you fight in a foreign venue," Pinol said.
Saturday night's loss was Dapudong's fourth in 26 professional fights and his first by stoppage.(Carlos Bautista)
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