By Rey Danseco
FELLOW Philippine junior flyweight contenders, Jerry Pahayahay and Rodel Quilaton, solidified their high positions in the Philippine junior flyweight division after snatching wins against separate foes onTuesday night in Taguig City, in Metro Manila of the Philippines.
Pahayahay earned a technical decision win at 2:18 of the 6th of a scheduled 10-round fight against Valenzuela City-based Chris Dujali at the Cantada Badminton Arena.
The 34-year old Pahayahay, who has the distinction as the only boxer in the world to defeat reigning WBC flyweight champ Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (58-2, 31 KOs)/ He beat him in 1995 and 1996, by decision and fifth round knockout respectively.
He was putting on an entertaining display of unorthodox skills and was also giving a boxing lesson to Dujali until an accidental clash of heads produced a nasty 1 ½ inches cut on his upper left eyelid where blood flowed profusely and prompted the ring physician to advise the stoppage of the carnage.
The judges scored the bout 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 all in favor of the RP No. 10 junior flyweight Pahayahay, a former RP minimumweight king who lost his RP flyweight belt to Federico Catubay on January 3 in Cagayan de Oro City.
It was the second win in three outings of Binangonan, Rizal-based Pahayahay, also a veteran of IBF minimumweight title fight, this year after taking a majority decision win over former RP No. 1 light fly Larry Mede in May in Baguio City.
Quilaton (17-6-1, 5 KOs), who’s ranked 36th by the WBC and the top rated in RP’s 108-pound class, sent a strong message to RP junior flyweight king Sonny Boy Jaro, stable mate of Pahayahay, when he floored Jerry Duaso (7-5-2, 4 KOs) of Moonwalk, Paranaque thrice to score an automatic knockout win at 1:26 of the second round.
Quilaton, a native of Cebu but fighting out of the boxing show promoter Boy Cantada in Taguig, scored the first knockdown with a flash left hook to the face under the first minute of the second round.
The succeeding knockdowns were a result of right hooks to the face and head respectively.
Other results saw Pit Anacaya (6-3-2, 3 KOs) winning by what seemed to be a controversial split decision in a very exciting 8-round junior flyweight bout against Bryan Vicera.
Two judges favored the 5-foot-2 native of Bliss Pandan in Mambajao, Camiguin 76-74 while the third official had it 76-74 for Vicera, who scored knockdowns in round 1 and 5 against the winner.
Eden Sonsona scored a knockdown with left hook in the opening round en route to take a technical decision win at 1:48 of the 5th round against Roberto Lerio. Sonsona was ahead on the scorecards 39-36, 40-36 and 38-37 at the time of halt.
Sonsona was dominating the fight until an unintentional headbutt produced a one-inch vertical cut between the eyes of the brother of Olympians Danilo and Arlan that led to the stoppage of the fight.
Ariel Delgado stopped Elden dela Cruz with countering left hook to the side of the body. Dela Cruz turnaround and hold the rope to prevent from going down, prompting referee Ferdinand Estrella to end the bout at one minute of the fourth round.
Gerry Penalosa’s boxer Michael Fariñas from Sorsogon province stopped reigning Philippine Boxing Federation lightweight king Dondon Lapuz in round 4 of their super featherweight fight.
Fariñas, who was supported by Penalosa at ringside improved to 8-1, 8 KOs. Lapuz, who is coming of the first defense of his title via third round knockout with vicious uppercut to Rex Marzan last Oct. 18 in Cagayan de Oro City, suffered a cut in the head from accidental headbutt in the third round, a swollen right check and cut beneath the upper lip.
