By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight champion Ramie Laput outboxed former WBO world bantamweight champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin all night long before the Thai challenger after suffering a cut due to a head-butt in the 11th round turned on Laput and threw a flying kick that grazed the champion’s face and was immediately disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Ratanachai apparently lost his cool because of the bloody cut from a clear head-butt and when Laput continued to punish him because international referee Bruce McTavish failed to call the infraction immediately, he fell back on his Muay Thai experience and launched a roundhouse kick.
McTavish had no choice but to disqualify Ratanachai who apologized to Laput but was booed as he left the ring, his face bloodied by the beating he took and the head-butt that ended it all.
Ratanachai opened a cut over Laput’s left eyebrow in the second round with a head-butt which only spurred the Filipino champion to launch a furious, two-fisted attack and staggered the Thai challenger on a number of occasions with a stinging right straight.
Laput’s corner did an excellent job to stem the bleeding but Ratanachai continued to bleed from a cut on his left eyelid and the battered bridge of his nose which always seems to happen to the Thai.
There was no question about the gameness of Ratanachai just as there was no question about the superiority of Laput who is ranked No. 6 in the world by the WBO. Laput improved his record to 37-3 with 18 knockouts while Ratanachai dropped to 73-12 with 49 knockouts.
The Thai officials who accompanied the youthful head of the Kokiet Group of Thailand apologized profusely for the conduct of Ratanachai and claimed it was an act of frustration. The fights were beamed “Live” to Thailand and will be telecast on the top-rated weekly boxing show “The Main Event” on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. over CS/9 sponsored by Tanduay, the No.1 Rhum and Pagcor, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
