By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Veteran Bert Batawang has won the WBO Asia Pacific light flyweight title with a 5th round knockout of Indonesia’s Jack Amisa in Guandong, China.

Referee Sawaeng Thaneekon of Thailand counted out the Indonesian at 1:46 of the fifth round.

With the win the 38 year old Batawang improved his record to 45-14-3 with 37 knockouts while Amisa dropped to 19-11-2 with 14 knockouts.

The bout was supervised by WBO Asia Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo who was praised by Filipino boxing writer/judge Salven Lagumbay for supposedly putting his Midas touch in China.

However, boxrec.com records show that southpaw Batawang, the new champion,  lost by a 7th round TKO to Efren Dapudong last April 25 while Amisa had three defeats and 2 draws in his last five fights with 2 losses by knockouts, yet these two fighters battled for the  vacant title raising serious questions about the integrity of such WBO regional title fights.

Amisa was coming off a 2nd round technical draw last May 9 when he fought Black Ratissa for the vacant Indonesian minimum weight title. Ratissa  had more defeats that victories in his record.

Prior to that Amisa lost by a 5th round knockout to Thailand’s Kompayak Porpramook in a WBC Asian Boxing Council title fight on March 10 after an eight round draw against Salwan Lombok who also had more losses that wins in his career.

On November 21, 2008, Amisa lost by a 4th round TKO to Sofyan Effendi and on August 29, 2008 lost by an eleventh round unanimous decision in a Pan Asia Boxing Association title fight to Kwanthai Chor Wor Pattalung.

Lagumbay quoted Panoncillo as reporting that  "Over 5000 fans witnessed the maiden fight of the WBO Asia Pacific championship in China. The WBO is really taking over specially that Manny Pacquiao is our champion. The promoter is planning to have another WBO event in January, 2010."