By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Three more Filipino boxers apparently cleared to fight in Thailand by the Games and Amusements Board, two of which were clear mismatches against superior Thai fighters while the third was replaced at the last minute, have as expected lost.
In a WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight title fight, Adonis Aguelo, who is coming off a loss to Philippine featherweight champion Vinvin Rufino last March 25, and has a record of 12-2-1 with 7 knockouts faced Sod Looknongyangtoy, the 32 year old champion with a record of 44-2-1 with 18 knockouts.
Looknongyangtoy’s two losses were against menacing Mexican Daniel Ponce De Leon to whom he dropped a unanimous twelve round decision in a WBO super bantamweight title fight in Tucson, Arizona on October 29, 2005 and suffered a 1st round knockout in a rematch at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 15, 2006.
Based on the boxrec.com records the Thai champion has more knockouts to his credit than Aguelo has had fights. However, boxing aficionado Carlos Costa of Panama who travels around the world to watch fights, reported that Sod had to sweat it out for twelve rounds of non-stop action against Aguelo who never stopped throwing punches. All three judges scored it for the Thai by identical 117-111 margins.
In another projected mismatch Jovi Merca who has a record of 11-6-1 with 5 knockouts was scheduled to meet hard-hitting Terdsak Jandaeng, nicknamed “Pit Bull” who is a southpaw with a record of 39-3-1 with 26 knockouts. However, Merca didn’t make the trip.
Alphie Campo of Punta Nasipit, Agusan Norte in a note sent to us on Facebook said “I am now asking your help to please verify the facts surrounding a certain Jovi Merca known to be fighting in Thailand today” stating that “Jovi Merca is in fact here in Butuan City right now asking for my help regarding the reports posted on philboxing and boxrec that he is fighting in Thailand.”
Campo requested us to “verify from GAB officials because there are certain individuals using aliases abroad.” He claimed “the real Jovi Merca is a good boxer and has potential given the chance of good management.”
Ricky Sismundo was a late replacement for Merca and according to Costa gave Jandaeng a tough fight losing by scores of 115-112 on one judge’s scorecard and 116-111 on two others. Costa claimed the referee “unfairly” deducted a point from Sismundo for an accidental clash of heads while he failed to deduct a point from Jandaeng for a a low blow. When Jandaeng opened up a cut on the right eyebrow of Sismundo towards the end of the bout, no point deduction was slapped on the Thai fighter.
In the third fight Michael Rodriguez who has a miserable record of 19 defeats against only 7 wins with not a single win by knockout lost a unanimous decision to stocky veteran Pigmy Muangchaiyaphum whose record is 40-5-2 with 18 knockouts.Rodriguez who is coming off back-to-back losses has lost 7 of his last 10 fights but according to Costa who is a fairly regular visitor to the Philippines put up a game fight but was clearly beaten.
