By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Z “The Dream” Gorres took one crucial step towards fulfilling his dream of winning the world super flyweight title when he scored a smashing fourth round TKO victory over WBO Asia Pacific No. 1 ranked Wisanu Pornobnum of Thailand before a good crowd at the Mandaue Sports Complex Saturday night in an excellent fight card sponsored by Tanduay, the No. 2 Rhum.
The win guaranteed Gorres, the No. 1 Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation contender a mandatory shot at the OPBF title against former champion Waenpetch Chuwatana who battles reigning champion Masayuki Arinaga of Japan later this year, under a formula agreed to by the OPBF.
Arinaga was scheduled to give Gorres a mandatory title shot but because of contractual obligations for a first option, the handlers of Arinaga through matchmaker , boxing manager and journalist Joe Koizumi requested Gorres to step aside so a rematch could take place. Should Arinaga win he has committed to relinquish the title and work for a world title shot while should Chuwatana regain the title he has agreed to defend it against Gorres in Manila early next year.
Gorres started cautiously against Pornobnum but after three rounds his manager, respected Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer instructed trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor to tell Gorres not to be too defensive adding that he has to get hit in order to hit his opponent. The instructions clearly worked as the flashy southpaw picked up the tempo and decked Pornobnum with a classic combination. Gorres caught Pornobnum with a thundering right to the side of the body and doubled up with a perfectly- timed uppercut that dropped the Thai flat on his back.
Pornobnum gamely beat the count and immediately tried to charge in but Gorres caught him with a flurry of punches before nailing him with a vicious left straight that once again sent the hapless Thai crashing to the canvas, forcing international referee Teddy Alivio to call a halt at 1:36 of the fourth round.
Pornobnum lay motionless on the canvas for a couple of minutes as the GAB ring physician attended to him . Later the Thai fighter praised Gorres and said he was caught by a perfect punch and predicted Gorres would go far. With the win, Gorres erased the doubts raised by his somewhat lackluster showing in a ten-round unanimous decision over another Thai Deeden Kengkarun, former WBA world-rated flyweight, last July in Manila.
With the win Gorres improved his record to 22—1-1 with 12 knockouts while Pornobnum dropped to 16-6-1 with 3 KO’s.
Gorres who trained for some four months under former two-division world champion Buddy McGirt in Florida had clearly honed his skills under the 2002 "Trainer of the Year". After Gorres demolished highly touted Glen Donaire in one round in Las Vegas last March 19, McGirt predicted that the Filipino southpaw would become world champion.
