By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Bantamweight Ray “Sting Ray” Las Pinas has won by a 4th round knockout over Eric Macas in a fight card in Sultan Kudarat. Jointly handled by Claude Manangquil and Australian promoter and TV boxing host Peter Maniatis, Las Pinas inflicted the seventh straight loss on Macas.

The 25-year-old Las Pinas who is a talented fighter improved his record to 15-5 with 4 knockouts while Macas dropped to 13-13 with 6 knockouts.

Las Pinas won the Philippine Boxing Federation title with a 7th round TKO over Donriel Marcos last July 13, 2011 after dropping a close twelve round majority decision to Jaesung Lee in a battle for the vacant IBF Pan Pacific super bantamweight title on February 27, 2011.

Las Pinas was coming off an eight round split decision loss to undefeated Japanese Yushi Tanaka on November 27, 2011.

Macas lost by a 2nd round TKO to lanky James Bacon on May 28, 2011 in a rematch after losing by a 6th round knockout on July 17, 2010.

He also suffered a 2nd round knockout at the hands of hard-hitting Lorenzo Villanueva of former governor Manny Pinol’s Braveheart Boxing stable in a WBO Oriental featherweight title bout on February 14, 2010.

Maniatis told the Manila Standard that Las Pinas could be fighting in Hong Kong on February 16. He described Las Pinas as an “under-rated boxer who always gives 100 percent. He has a big heart and could be in for some bigger fights in 2012.”