All Set for Aug. 1 for Double WBO Oriental Championships in North Cotabato

VILLANUEVA

JABEL

This rustic town by the edge of the vast Liguasan Marsh is all set for the biggest boxing event to be held here - the double World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental championship on Aug. 1 featuring two of North Cotabato's upcoming boxing prospects.

 

The card, titled "Double Rumble: Survival of the Fittest" staged by North Cotabato's boxing patron Manny Pinol, features an all Filipino boxing card with WBO Oriental Featherweight champion Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva, 23, making his second title defense against world-ranked Balweg "Davao Hitman" Bangoyan, the former World Boxing Council (WBC) superbantamweight international champion fighting in the main event.

 

The other WBO Oriental champion is between undefeated Jermie "The Worm" Jabel, 22, against Manila's Arden Diale for the vacant flyweight diadem.

 

Both fights are set for 12 rounds but boxing experts are expecting shortened encounters in the two matchups given the records of the fighters. Villanueva, 5' 7", holds a record of 18 wins with 17 KOs and 0 loss while Bangoyan has a record of 15 wins, 8 KOs and one loss.

 

Jabel, 5' 6" tall and a former amateur standout has a record of 15 wins, 8 KOs and 1 draw while Diale who fought world champions Rodel Mayol and Johnriel Casimiro earlier in his career has 8 wins, 4 losses and 3 draws.

 

M'lang Mayor Joselito Pinol said the fight, sponsored by San Miguel Corporation and local businessmen, will push through in spite of the floods that recently hit parts of the town.

 

Completing the card which will be staged at the M'lang Municipal Gymnasium are seven match ups featuring Braveheart Boxing Club fighters:

     - Rolando Magbanua vs. Nikong Calamba, 8 rds., 120 lbs.

     - Glenn Porras vs. Jun Pader, 8 rds., 120 lbs.

     - Rey Juntilla vs. Rolando Omela, 6 rds., 120 lbs.

     - Gary Lumacad vs. Ronel Omosura, 4 rds., 108 lbs.

     - Phil Francis Abanilla vs.Rando Espilete, 4 rds., 112 lbs.

 

The fights start at 5 p.m. and the boxing event is open to the public.(pr)

 

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.

“Thunderbolt” Villanueva stakes WBO Oriental Featherweight title against Eric Macas

World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental Featherweight Champion Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva puts his title at stake to settle an old score with Eric Macas at the M’lang municipal plaza on Sunday, February 14.

In a non-title fight scheduled for 10 rounds in Ozamis City on May 23, 2009, the 24-year old Villanueva battered Macas from the opening of round 1 hurting the Lanao del Norte fighter several times and succeeding in inflicting a cut over his right eye which the referee declared was caused by a legitimate blow.

Fight officials however declared Macas winner by technical decision after stopping the fight in the 5th due to a cut below his right eye which Referee Delbert Pelegrino ruled as a result of a headbutt.

North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Piñol who owns Braveheart Boxing Club contested the ruling before the Games and Amusements Board presenting a video recording of the fight which showed that the cut was a result of three powerful punches connected by Villanueva.

The GAB declared the fight a “No-Decision.”

Villanueva went on to wrestle the WBO Oriental 126-lb. title from former Asian Games gold medallist Eric Canoy on July 4, 2009 at the Midsayap municipal gymnasium, scoring three knockdowns before finally stopping the ageing champion in the 10th round.

In the supporting main event, WBO Oriental Mini Flyweight Champion Romel “Little Assassin” Asenjo, also of Braveheart Boxing Club, defends his title against Jetli Purisima.

Purisima, who lost to Asenjo via majority decision when they battled at the Midsayap Municipal Gymnasium on June 21, 2008, hopes not only to get even with the Braveheart boxer but to wrestle his title as well.

Other bouts in the Valentine’s Day boxing event sponsored by North Cotabato 2nd District Representative Jun Piñol will feature Braveheart boxers Reynaldo Belandres against Jaime Barcelona, Jermie Jabel versus Rosel Alim, Glenn Porras who faces Renan Branzuela, Gary Lumacad who will battle Rowel Garcia, and Phil Francis Abanilla who will fight Renante Suncasa.