By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Former Philippine junior flyweight champion Bert Batawang has scored a sensational seventh round knockout over South Africa’s world rated Sithembele Kibiti to win the WBA Pan African title in Cape Town, South Africa according to a report from his manager Sammy Gello-ani and unlike other Filipino boxers who fought in South Africa did not appear to be bothered by the altitude or the weather.
With the impressive victory Batawang is expected to crash into the word ratings since Kibiti was rated No. 8 by both the WBC and the WBO and was in the top ten of the WBA. Batawang, a hard-hitting southpaw set up the tough South African with a cracking right straight and an uppercut and then dropped him for the full count with a tremendous right hook. The time was 1:58 of the seventh round.
Batawang, , a 28 year old southpaw from the world-class ALA Gym of respected Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer was coming off a split decision loss to Japan’s Shingo Yamaguchi in an Orient Pacific Boxing Federation title fight last August 9 while Kibiti, the South African minimum weight champion who forfeited his title after failing to make the weight in a title defense last February 27 poured out his frustrations with an impressive fourth round KO victory over Neo Seboka.
Aldeguer told Viva Sports/Manila Standard that Batawang could defend his newly won title in the country or seek to unify the titles by going after the Pan Asia Boxing Association crown which would put him in line for a possible WBA title shot. Vicky Tahumil of Indonesia is the current PABA light flyweight champion while the WBA interim title is held by Bebis Mendoza of Colombia.
