By Rey Danseco
The reign of little known Filipino champion, Joel Escol, ended on Wednesday when he lost to a veteran Thai fighter who was previously floored by Manny Pacquiao four times.
Escol (9-6-1) failed to continue fighting when Fahsan (3K Battery) Por Thawatchai (47-7-1) floored him twice as Thai referee Sampan Sangakart counted him out at 2:47 of the second round.
It was the third consecutive win for Fahsan since taking a 4th round knockout loss to Pacquiao in his ambitious attempt to make a name for himself last December at MC Home Depot Open Air Arena in Taguig City. He is currently ranked as the No. 11 featherweight by the IBF.
The defeat cost the 23-year old native of Barangay Margus in the Philippine southern province of Sarangani, his International Boxing Federation (IBF) Pan Pacific super bantamweight title.
Escol came into the fight ready to defend the title for the first time after he won it via 6th round knockout of undefeated Fahsai Sakkreerin on April 22 in Bangkok.
The Valenzuela City-trained Filipino and the Thai fighter traded hard punches from the opening bell. But Fahsan slammed his fellow southpaw fighter Escol down for the first time with vicious left cross at the bell.
Fahsan pressed his attacks at the start of round two and floored the hapless Escol again with ferocious combination to the head and body.
Escol, a high school graduate, came home yesterday with his trainer/manager Emil Romano and is still determined to make a huge comeback as he aims to help his poor family.
Escol, the fourth of nine children of a tailor and a housewife, is considered a "hero" by his province mates.
About 43 days after Escol’s June 3rd victory in Thailand, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Council) of Sarangani awarded him the Sarangani medallon and had approved a resolution granting him a P50,000 token cash reward in addition to his $1,500 purse (roughly P82,500), where part of it went to Romano.
