Ganoy Stops Peden's Comeback Plans by KO

By Rey Danseco

FILIPINO knockout artist Ranee Ganoy surpassed Mexican greats Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez’s feat of beating veteran Australian Robbie “Bomber” Peden.

Ganoy floored the former world champion twice en route to an explosive knockout win in the main event on Friday at Chandler Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.

Peden (25-4, 14 KOs) gave the Filipino fighter a hard fight but he was saved by the bell in round 7 after visiting the canvas. In round 8, Ganoy sent the Australian crashing to the ropes and local referee Brad Vocale crowned Ganoy the new regional champion at 21 seconds mark of the 8th round.

At the time of stoppage, Ganoy was leading in two scorecards with an identical 67-66 tally while Peden was ahead on the third judge's sheet with the same same score.

By posting his fifth consecutive stoppage win and 19th knockout victory overall in 22 wins against 10 loses and a draw, the native of Norala town in South Cotabato captured the vacant International Boxing Federation Pan Pacific light weight title.

It was a disappointing loss for the 33-year old Aussie puncher as he intended to use his first bout in 18 months as springboard to another world title shot after he loss of the IBF super featherweight title to Barerra in a unification fight in September 2005 in Las Vegas.

"I've wanted to fight in front of my home crowd for a lot of years," said Peden before the bout. "Ganoy can punch and has stopped a lot of Australian boys. But people should not forget why my nickname is the bomber."

Peden lost to Marquez via TKO in the 10th round of their schedule 12-round collision when he retired in stool in March 2003 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His first setback was a unanimous decision over 12 rounds against American John Brown in June 2000 in Elgin, Illinois.

The 27-year old Sydney-based Filipino fighter has 9 wins all by knockouts and only three loses in his campaign on Australian soil since he has made Sydney as his based since October 2004.

Ganoy’s previous big name victims were Australian champions Allan Luxford and Mick Shaw, winning both with fifth round stoppages.