VILLANUEVA SETTLES SCORE WITH MACAS;ASENJO WINS WBO ORIENTAL TITLE ANEW;

VILLANUEVA SETTLES SCORE WITH MACAS;ASENJO WINS WBO ORIENTAL TITLE ANEW;

philboxing.com/thepinoyboxers.com

M'lang, North Cotabato - Young featherweight prospect Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva settled an old score with former opponent Eric Macas last Sunday, Feb. 14, as he scored a spectacular 2nd round knockout to win the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental Featherweight title before a huge crowd in an open-air event at the M'lang Municipal Plaza.

Villanueva, 23, whose boxing record of 16 wins with 15 KOs is blemished only by a No Decision bout when he fought Macas in Ozamis City, Zamboanga del Norte Province in May last year, came into the fight determined to show his superiority over his previous opponent.

The left-handed Villanueva, an orphan whose boxing career is being handled by the Braveheart Boxing Club owned by North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Pinol and his brothers, started the fight in a blistering pace chasing Macas all over the ring while at the same time connecting with thunderous shots to the body and the head of his opponent.

In the second round, the 5' 7" tall Villanueva caught Macas with a right to the head and a booming left to the right rib cage sending Macas crumbling to the canvas like an empty sack.

WBO International Referee Tony Pesons counted Macas out at 2:23 minute of the 2nd round.

The win improved the undefeated Villanueva's record to 17 wins with 16 KOs while Macas' record fell to 12 wins and 6 losses.

It was a sweet victory for Villanueva who in May last year was initially declared a loser in his fight against Macas, in the latter's territory in Ozamis City when the referee erroneously declared that a cut suffered by Macas in the 5th round of their 10-round bout was caused by a headbutt.

Vice Gov. Pinol, the registered manager of Villanueva protested the ruling based on the video recording of the fight which clearly showed that there was no clash of heads prior to the stoppage of the fight and that the cut was caused by legitimate blows.

The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) through Commission Angel Bautista, who supervised the fight last Sunday, later declared the fight a No Decision after reviewing the video recording of the fight.

In the main undercard, 20-year-old Rommel "Little Assassin" Asenjo survived a tough fight against Jetly Purisima in the battle for the vacant WBO Oriental Miniflyweight title.

Both fighters traded blows all throughout the fight with Asenjo suffering a cut in the 11th round. But at the end of the fight, ringside judges Romy Yulo, Edward Ligas and Salven Lagumbay of the WBO submitted a similar 115-113 card in favor of Asenjo.

Here are the results of the undercards:
- Reynaldo "Boy of Steel" Belandres won over Jaime Barcelona by UD in 10 in a featherweight bout with knockdowns scored by Belandres in the 2nd and 4th;
- Glenn "The Rock" Porras won over Renan Branzuela by UD in 10 bantamweight;
- Jermie "The Worm" Jabel showed his potential as a world caliber flyweight as he dominated the game and powerful Rasel Alim in 10 rounds;
- Gary Lumacad won by UD over Rowel Garcia, 107 lbs., 4 rounds;
- Phil Francis Abanilla won by UD over Renante Suacaza, 112 lbs., 4 rds;
- Froilan Saludar won by UD over Jhong-jhong Ponteras, 112 lbs., 4 rds;
- Roel Romasasa won by UD over Romel Omosora, 110 lbs., 4 rds.