By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Lanky Filipino lightweight Dexter Delada has suffered a crushing second round knockout in his battle for the vacant WBC International title against South Africa’s super featherweight champion Ali Funeka in East at the Orient Theater in East London, South Africa failing to duplicate the feat of stablemate Gabriel Pumar who won the WBC International straw weight title with a seventh round KO over Tshepo Lefele in March.
A brief report on the website boxrec.com indicated the time was 2:19 of the second round. Funeka who is ranked No. 9 by the WBA and No. 19 by the WBC super featherweight improved his record to 25-1-2 with 21 knockouts while Delada, ranked No. 30 by the WBC and one of the prized fighters of Rex “Wakee” Salud who is currently in Los Angeles with Manny Pacquiao, dropped to 14-3 with 10 knockouts.
It was Delada’s second KO in his last three fights having been knocked out by lightweight champion Fernando Montilla late last year.
Funeka, a strong puncher, has won his last five fights within the distance scoring 3 knockouts and 2 knockouts. It was the second straight setback for a fighter of Salud. Super featherweight Jimrex Jaca lost a lopsided unanimous decision to Japan’s Nobuhito Honmo in a clash for the title vacated by Randy Suico who has moved up to lightweight.
Funeka’s only loss was a twelve round decision to Mzonke Fana in July 2002 before Fana defeated Randy Suico by a split decision in 2004 in a world title eliminator in Soutj Africa. However, Fana fought champion Marco Antonio Barrera and was destroyed in two rounds.
