By Rey Danseco

DANILO and Roberto Lerio, two brothers from the North Cotabato province in Southern Philippines, won their respective bouts in Australia

Danilo won his first appearance before an Australian audience after he represented the Philippines in Sydney Olympics. He needed only 2-minutes and 21-seconds to stop Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) No. 11 super flyweight contender Matt Meredith in their scheduled 8-round fight at the Campbelltown RSL Club in Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.

Danilo’s 21-year old brother, Roberto, took his first win in three overall appearances in Australia when he beat local boy Emmanuel “Mama’s Boy” Micallef with split decision over six rounds.

Two judges scored the fight 59-55 and 60-53 for Roberto, who lost his previous two fights Down Under against unbeaten Davey Browne in New South Wales last year and Daniel Iannazzo in Melbourne on March 28. The third official had it 57-58 for the Australian.

The Lerios hail from Antipas town in North Cotabato. They are training under their older brother, another Olympian, Arlan Lerio, who has worked in Australia for almost two years.

Before they fought in Australia, the Lerio brothers were based in Binangonan, Rizal, near Manila.

In the main event, the 5-foot-11 Davey Browne retained his IBF Pan Pacific Youth super bantamweight title over 5-foot-3 Narongchai Kiatpaiboon with unanimous decision win in a 10-round bout.

Former two-time world title challenger and Davey’s brother, Tommy Browne, dominated the fight and finally stopped Saengsakda Charoenkasea in 2:43 of round 6.