By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Filipino boxers Allan Ranada and Robert Rubillar have beaten by Thai opponents in a year end fight card staged in an open air ring at the Por Kung Pao Seafood Restaurant. Well-known WBC boxing official and Bangkok Post columnist Edward Thangarajah reported that Asian Boxing Council flyweight champion Panomrunglek Kratingdaeng-gym “controlled his fight” against ABCO No. 9 Ranada before registering a knockout win in the seventh round while WBC No. 7 and ABCO straw-weight champion Oledong Sithsamerchai outpointed Rubillar over six rounds.
Panomrunglek, a 20 year old regarded as a “rising star” was making the second defense of his title. He was in command from the opening bell with a series of vicious body shots including some 20 unanswered punches in the fateful round where a right-left combination sent Ranada through the ropes and referee Anek Hongthongkham rightly counted out Ranada at 2:17 of the seventh round. However, Thangarajah commended
Ranada saying “credit must go to the Filipino who was resilient and absorbed all the punishment that was handed out.”
Thangarajah said that “like Ranada, Rubillar also displayed outstanding guts” during his six round bout against Oledong, noting that Rubillar “traded with the Thai who suffered a swelling on the left side of his face.” All three judges scored it a 60-54 shutout for the talented Thai who improved his record to 14-0 with 5 ko.
