Kiattaweesuk Stops Delada in Four, Still Unbeaten
The Philippines Bogie Delada, making his first appearance after a 19-month layoff has suffered a 4th round knockout at the hands of undefeated IBF Pan Pacific bantamweight champion Thangthong Kiattaweesuk in a fight card at the Chira Nakorn Stadium in the southern Thai city of Had Yai.
With the win the Thai southpaw stretched his unbeaten record to 12-0 with 8 knockouts while Delada dropped to 13-2 with 11 knockouts.
The question that the Philippine Games and Amusement Board as well as the IBF need to answer is how a fighter who has been inactive for 19 months based on the boxrec.com records, could return to the ring to face a talented, undefeated fighter in a regional title bout.
Boxrec lists Delada’s last fight being on December 16, 2007 when he scored a 1st round knockout over Isidro Balatbat after suffering a 5th round TKO at the hands of Danilo Pena on March 3, 2007.
Thangthong won the vacant IBF Pan Pacific 118 pound title with a twelve round unanimous decision over I-Hon Kim of South Korea on November 23, 2007.
In his last defense Thangthong scored a 3rd round TKO over Irfan Ogah of Indonesia . The Thai champion had earlier successfully defended his regional belt against Filipinos Jonel Alivio over whom he scored a unanimous decision over twelve rounds on July 25, 2008 and Dexter Mendoza whom he knocked out in the 2nd round on October 24, 2008.
IBF representative of Thailand Sompong Atchanukroh said Thangthong must show an outstanding performance in the match as IBF vice president Ray Wheatley had agreed to have Thangthong fight Australia ’s Vic Darchinyan, if Darchinyan won the world title against Joseph Agbeko of Ghana which didn’t happen.
Wheatley reported that Delada connected with some accurate combinations in the opening round but Kiattaweesuk came back with some power shots in round two before he dropped Delada in round four.
Thai referee Yongsak Na Songkla stopped the fight to save Delada from further punishment.
Thangthong’s promoter Ekkarat Chaichotchuang said the Thai boxer’s path to the world title is “quite bright” after his win over Delada.