By Rey Danseco

FORMER Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) light welter champion Rex Marzan continued to pile up red marks in his record as he was knocked out by Masato Arai of Japan on Sunday.

Marzan, a veteran slugger from Cagayan de Oro City, was counted out at 1:26 of the fifth round of their scheduled eight round light middleweight collision at the Sowacho Gym in Ibaragi, Japan.

Marzan was a late substitute of Ramil Caballes, a ward of champion-maker Wakee Salud in Cebu City.         

Caballes was originally booked to fight Arai but begged off as he is coming off in back-to-back losses this year and four in a row since losing to Dindo Castanares via a 10th round knockout for the RP light welter title last May 22, 2004.

Marzan weighted 149¼ in the official weigh in before the fight while the 21-yer old Arai, who is coming of in a 3rd round TKO loss in his previous bout against Koji Numata last March, was 150¼ lb.