By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Former Philippine super flyweight champion Rene “Commander” Dacquel has beaten the odds to win the IBO International super flyweight title with a split decision win over South Africa’s flyweight champion Thembelani Nxoshe in South Africa on Saturday, Manila Time.
The 24 year old Dacquel dropped the South African three times in the fight although one knockdown was ruled a slip by the referee.
With the win Dacquel who is regular headliner on the Viva Sports weekly boxing show “The Main Event” telecast over PBO on Sky Cable on Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. with a replay on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. improved his record to 15-5-1 with 6 knockouts.
Dacquel who was accompanied by well-known matchmaker Art Monis of the United International Promotions of Japan/s Tyuta Kato was coming off a loss to Jonas Sultan by a twelve round unanimous decision last July 11 at the Mandaluying City Gym in a fight where he lost his Philippine title.
Nxoshe who dropped to 13-6-1 with 3 knockouts had earlier stunned highly favored Doctor Ntsele to lift the vacant South African flyweight title at the Mdantsane Sports Center last November 10.
Boxing writer Mesuli Zifo reported that “coming to the fight Nxoshe was a dark horse despite compiling a 20-fight record with only three defeats while Ntsele, who hails from Free State but has lately made the Eastern Cape his second home, came with a great deal of clout having owned the same title before he was dethroned by Mdantsane’s Lwandile Sityatha.