By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The poor showing of Filipino boxers in Thailand continues as two more fighters, Wennie Paderna and Larry Pelonia lost, with Paderna badly beaten by Asian Boxing Council featherweight champion Cholatham Piriyapino in a title fight and Pelonia retiring in the fifth round according to well-known Bangkok Post columnist and WBC official Edward Thangarajah.
Thangarajah reported that Paderna “came out swinging and made an impressive start” but the Filipino ran out of steam after that and lost badly. Cholatham maintained his composure and counterpunched with well with the inexperienced Paderna an easy target. All three judges scored it for the Thai 119-109. Cholatham remained undefeated in eight fights. He was coming off a fifth round TKO over another Filipino Nathan Barcelona last July 9.
Thangarajah said that in the opening bout Asian super featherweight champion Saddam Kiatyongyuth “ran into trouble against his southpaw opponent” who had won only two of his last nine bouts. While Saddam “took a number of punches” while trying to solve the southpaw stance of Pelonia, he came back with solid punches to he body and head in the third round and caused a cut over the Filipino’s right eye. Thangarajah added that “by the time the fifth round arrived the Filipino was in no condition to continue and he retired.”
