By Ronnie Nathanielsz
For the first time in recent months a Filipino boxer put on an excellent performance against a Thai champion in Thailand but unfortunately was denied victory and had to settle for a controversial draw. Jun Arlos held WBC International light flyweight champion Wandee Singjwancha to what veteran Bangkok Post boxing writer and WBC official Edward Thangarajah described as "a thrilling draw" at the open air arena of a university in Nonthaburi last Tuesday.
Thangarajah said the "little known Filipino" put on a fine display but apparently failed to do enough to win. Thai judge Nopharat Sricharoen scored the fight 115-113in favor of Wandee, Filipino judge Warren Jaro had Arlos winner by a 116-113 margin while the neutral referee-judge Jae-wong Kim of Korea scored it even at 114-114. However, the 28 year old Arlos' manager, Muntinglupa councilor Dante Almario said he thought his fighter had done enough to win but accepted the decision saying "It was a good fight and I am happy Arlos acquitted himself well."
Wandee salvaged the draw because of his aggressiveness in the first four rounds when he scored with straight lefts and rights although Thangarajah said Arlos absorbed the punches of the former WBC world minimum weight champion "splendidly." As the fight warned up Arlos three a number of effective punches including "a few fancy hooks which upset the Thai champion." While Wandee dominated rounds seven to nine with vicious body shots, Arlos fought back ferociously and caught Wandee with several shots to the head especially in round eleven and although he won the last three rounds, the Filipino had to settle for a draw. Wandee's record now stands at 42-7-1 with 10 KO's while Arlos has a record of 30-15-4 with 13 KO's.
In the opening bout of the fight card, the Philippines No. 1 super bantamweight Jack "Shark" Verano scored a unanimous six round decision over rated Thai Jongcharoen Carryboy. Verano was coming off a majority draw against former Pan Asian Boxing Association flyweight champion Rolly Lunas while Jongcharoen was trying to recover from a fifth round KO at the hands of Kinshiro Usui of Japan.
