Maraon defends WBO title with 6th round TKO

Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental - World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Jundy "Pretty Boy" Maraon successfully defended his title with a 6th round TKO of durable and resilient Anthony Mathias of Tanzania while diminutive Rommel "Little Assassin" Asenjo demolished a 17-year-old Tanzanian boxing prospect, Sadiki Abdulazizi, in the first round to win the vacant WBO Oriental Miniflyweight title before a jampacked Medina Gymnasium here Saturday night.

Maraon's first defense of the boxing title he won via a sensational 3rd round knockout of compatriot Jason Igera three months ago, was highlighted by four knockdowns scored against the game Tanzanian.

Maraon dropped Mathias in the first, second and third rounds before referee Tony Pesons finally stopped the fight at 2:06 of the 6th after the Tanzanian hit the canvas for the fourth time courtesy of the powerful and lightning quick left straights unleased by the champion. Mathias protested the stoppage but his corner, seeing his boxer hurt and bleeding from the mouth and nose, agreed with the referee's decision.

The 24-year-old champion from Molave, Zamboanga del Sur fighter who fights out of the Braveheart Boxing Club of North Cotabato improved his record to 14 wins (11 KOs) and 1 draw. The victory is expected to push him up the world ratings of the WBO where he is currently ranked No. 8.

Asenjo, 19, from Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, showed Misamis boxing fans why he is called Little Assassin as he stalked the taller and young Sadiki right after the bell starting the fight. With barely a minute into the round, Asenjo caught the Tanzanian with a thunderous left sending the African fighter to the canvas for a count of eight.

A badly hurt Sadiki stood up wobbling but Asenjo pursued him scoring two more knockdowns ending the fight at 2:59 of the first round. Asenjo improved his professional record to 14 wins (12 KOs) with 2 losses.

In the undercard, WBO Interim Oriental bantamweight champion Rolando Magbanua, preparing for bigger fights ahead of him, made a quick job on a bigger Donryll Marcos scoring a technical knockout at 2:05 of the 5th. Magbanua remains undefeated with 16 wins and 11 KOs.

In the most controversial fight of the night, knockout artist Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva, 22, was declared loser after referee Delbert Pelegrino declared that the cut suffered by Eric Macas in th 5th was caused by a headbutt. A review of the tape of the fight which was covered for ABS CBN Studio 23, however, showed that no clash of heads happened prior to the stoppage of the fight.

Had the cut been declared as a result of the legitimate blow, the fight would have been awarded to Villanueva who, even when he was in complete control of the fight hurting Macas several times, was behind on points in the scoring of the three local judges.

Added to the controversy was the discovery made later that one of the judges, Cyrusman Manatad, who was assigned to the fight by Games and Amusements Board supervisor Vic Cabalog is the son of ring official Andres Manatad who works for the boxing manager of Macas.

North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Pinol, who owns Braveheart Boxing Club to which Villanueva belongs, said he will ask his lawyer to file a petition before GAB to ask for the reversal of the decision based on the videotape of the fight.

Other results:

- Reynaldo Belandres KOed Rolando Magallano 2:48 of the fourth round;
- Jermie Jabel KOed Gerry Baja 1:56 of the first round;
- Rey Juntilla KOed Ariel Austria 1:14 of the first round;
- Albert Alcy won over Richard Betos by SD in 8 rounds;
- Randy Lagos won by MD over Joemar Dote in 4 rounds;