By Rey Danseco
FORMER Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightweight champion Dennis Laurente has aimed to capture the Pan Asian Boxing Association (PABA) light welterweight title from Daudy Bahari on Thursday night in Indonesia.
The top ranked Filipino contender and rated No. 25 in the world by the World Boxing Council is assured of only 1,500 United States dollar (more than P76,500) in his first bout in 140-pound limit, which about five pounds over his usual category of lightweight division (135-lb).
Veteran trainer Mario Lumacad guides Laurente in the championship after Indon promoter Pino Bahari, brother of Daudy, gave the Team Laurente two Manila-Jakarta-Manila roundtrip air tickets that force his manager Johnny Elorde to stay in the Philippines.
The second son of the legendary Flash Elorde believes his 5-foot-8 fighter has a good chance of winning.
Laurente, whose highest world ranking was No. 7 by WBC, is coming off in two wins in his last three fights, including a draw after losing the OPBF lightweight belt in a rematch to Japanese Chikashi Inada in March 2005 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan via close split decision.
Laurente’s latest victims were Bahari’s countryman Stack Poncogati with a first round knockout win on June 7 in Jakarta and Japanese Yuki Yoshizawa by way of majority decision victory over 10 rounds on Aug. 2 in Tokyo, Japan.
On the other hand, the 22-year old champion took the blemish in his boxing career, a lopsided unanimous decision (99-92 twice and 99-93) to former Japanese junior welter champ Motoki Sasaki (25-6, 16 KOs) in non-title fight on Nov. 26 in Japan.
Laurente has a menacing 23-3-4 win-loss-draw record with 11 knockouts. Bahari has 27-1-1, 11 KOs.
