By Rey Danseco
CALAUAG, Quezon – Unbeaten featherweight prospect Rey Labao duplicated the second round knockout win in a more brutal fashion in a rematch with veteran Roberto Moreno before a sold-out crowd Monday night at the Manuel L. Quezon Hall.
Using with hard combinations to the face, Labao (9-0, 6 KOs) floored Moreno twice in the second round en route with technical knockout win at one minute 59 seconds of the fight in the main event of “Babag sa Calauag” (Fight in Calauag) card.
The hard-hitting 5-foot-7 native of Barangay Candayuman in Liloan, Leyte hurt Moreno, who is 26-year old and four year senior than Labao, with stiff punches during their rigid exchanges and worked him in the ropes early in the second round.
Labao never gave Moreno a chance to initiate when he settled matters going into the first minute of the second stanza, where the hapless Cavite-based brawler visited the canvas for the first time.
In the next and final knockdown, the referee stopped the carnage when it was evident that Moreno was not in good condition to continue, giving Labao his back-to-back win after his TKO win through body punches in their first clash in March at Elorde Sports Center.
Moreno, a two-time World Boxing Federation super fly title challenger from General Santos City, came into the fight prepared and determined when he landed some counter punches despite taking harder hits in the fast pace first round.
On the undercard, lanky super bantamweight boxer Dexter Mendoza outclassed Michael Romulo. He won on a shutout unanimous decision with the three judges’ tally read 60-54 for his favor.
Young unbeaten fighter Raymond Sermona, Jason Egera and Norbin Morada, also campaigns in 122-lbs, knocked out their respective foes.
Sermona stopped Elmer Marcelino at 54 seconds mark of 3rd of scheduled 6-round fight.
Egera floored Ian dela Pena with left straight. Dela Pena returned on his feet on rubbery legs and refused to continue at 2:16 of the first round.. Morada registered the quickest KO victory with hard left-right hook combination to the jaw of the aggressive fighter Nesjun Sosa at 24 seconds of the opening round.
Another super bantam Hilsan Berba cut Val Villorante’s right check with accidental headbutt at 2:22 of the first round to rule their scheduled 4-round confrontation technical draw.
In the curtain raiser, Jeno Quiletar took his first win in two starts with unanimous decision win over 4 rounds against Christian Atienza. Two judges saw it 40-36 while the third had it 40-37 all in favor of Quiletar.
The entire card will be telecast on the leading weekly Ginebra San Miguel’s Ringside TV Boxing from 3-4 pm on June 4 and 11 over ABC Channel 5 in the Philippines and through Mabuhay Channel in the United States, Canada and Japan.
