By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The beatings continue as three more Filipino boxers have suffered bad losses abroad, two in Australia and one in Japan. The Philippines’ No. 4 ranked featherweight Melvin Ayudtod was knocked out in the very first round of a scheduled ten round bout by Japan-based WBA No. 9 ranked Venezuelan Jorge "Golden Boy" Linares, Federico Catubay suffered a third round TKO against Hussein Hussein in a battle for the vacant OPBF flyweight title and Rolando Gerongco lost by a ninth round TKO to Daniel Hoskins in a WBF Asia Pacific junior lightweight title bout.
Well known Japanese matchmaker and journalist Joe Koizumi in a report to Viva Sports/Manila Standard said that the undefeated Linares who has a record of 13-0 with 7 knockouts "proved too fast and too sharp" for Ayudtod (12-9-2, 5 KO’s) and "polished him off with a wicked body shot at 2:07 of the first round."
Koizumi said the 19 year old Linares "displayed his superior speed from the outset, controlled his opponent with his left hand and landed a fast one-two followed by a well-timed left hook to the belly." He reported that Ayudtod "tried to withstand the pain but collapsed in a delayed reaction as Linares threw in an additional left-right combo."
Famed boxing writer Paul Upham of Australia reported that the 29 year old flyweight contender Hussein who has a sterling 27-1, 21 KO record continued his trek towards another world title fight with an impressive third round knockout over Catubay (15-6, 5 KO’s) to win the vacant OPBF title in Penrith, New South Wales. Trained by three-time world champion Jeff Fenech, Upham reported that Hussein "never looked in more aggressive form as he battered an opponent (Catubay) who in 2004 defeated former WBC junior flyweight champion Yo-Sam Choi."
Hussein dropped the shorter Catubay in round one with a perfect right hand counter as the Filipino lunged forward but Catubay "never gave up and tried to fight his way out of trouble in round two with some hard combinations which pushed Hussein back on the ropes" according to Upham. Hussein dropped Catubay once again in round three with "a sweet right hand" and the referee stopped the action at the 2:50 mark.
Gerongco fought before a capacity crowd at the Sawtell RSL Club in New South Wales but in a furious opening round exchange was decked by Hoskins. Gerongco fought back gamely but Hoskins nailed him again in round 9 and as Hoskins continued to batter Gerongco in round ten the Filipino’s corner threw in the towel to save him from further punishment forcing the referee to call a halt at 2:04 seconds of round ten.
