By Rey Danseco
 
FILIPINO fighter Gabriel Pumar lost his World Boxing Council (WBC) International minimumweight title against a second choice South African challenger Zukisani Kwayiba in Johannesburg on Friday night.

Pumar suffered a cut over his left eye from legal punch in round three and it was the main reason why the fight was stopped and him declared the loser by technical knockout at the end of the ninth round after the South African was well ahead on the scorecards at Nasrec Indoor Arena.

Judge Joseph Chaane had it 88-84, Tony Nyangiwe saw it 88-83 and Neville Hotz scored it 87-84 all in favor of Kwayiba.

Ringside doctors, who had taken a good look at the cut earlier, stopped the fight at the break after round nine, giving Kwayiba the title that intended for the WBC rated No. 11 and below.

After dominating the 4th and the 5th rounds and Kwayiba took the next two rounds, Pumar’s cornermen Juanito Ablaca and the boxer’s brother Rolando Pumar, a retired super bantamweight boxer, failed to stop the profuse blood flows from the cut.

The 21-year-old Pumar, who dropped his stock to 9-1-1 with six knockouts, won the title with an impressive seventh round stoppage win over erstwhile champ Tshepo Lefele at the Wembley Arena in Johannesburg on March 31.

Kwayiba was cautious in early round, giving Pumar a confidence to sneak some telling blows in the first round. But the 20-year-old underdog challenger found the range of his merciless right-hand blows that caused the cut to grow bigger.

Currently rated No. 40 by the WBC, Kwayiba improved to 10-0, 6 KOs in his career and he will also gain Pumar’s position as ranked No. 12 in the organization.

The undefeated Kwayiba was approved for the shot last August 29 by WBC International championship chairman Mauro Betti of Italy after a request from Bosnian-South African promoter Branco Milenkovic as substitute to undefeated SA minimumweight champion Nkosinathi Joyi (16-0, 11 KOs).

Earlier, African press criticized trainer Mapetla Mzamo for accepting the fight for his boxer Kwayiba, a frustrated Olympic hopeful.

Many experts in Africa labeled Kwayiba as a lamb being led to the slaughter because of his lack of inexperience compared to Pumar. Critics also condemned the fight predicting it a massive mismatch.