By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Five Filipino boxers led by Jimrex Jaca have been beaten in Thailand with only Dodie Boy Agrabio saving the day with a first round knockout over a Thai opponent who lost his first fight and was making only his second appearance according to boxrec.com.
Jimrex Jaca who raised Philippine fight fans hopes after a gallant nine round stand against the classy Juan Manuel Marquez lost in what well-known boxing journalist Scott Mallon said was “action-packed, give and take while it lasted” against former WBA super featherweight champion Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai eventually losing by a sixth round TKO in Pattaya in a light welterweight bout.
Mallon reported that Nanthachai, nicknamed “The Thai Tyson” lived up to his name “scoring with thunderous blows that noticeably affected the smaller man” although Jaca bravely traded punches especially in the early rounds. He said Jaca had his best round in the fourth but Nanthachai quickly squelched the attack, landing with " crunching right hooks to the temple that rapidly depleted the power of the Filipino.”
Jaca’s face was swollen and bloodied and the Thai knocked Jaca backwards with a hard right and sensing Jaca was hurt, Mallon said Nanthachai quickly moved in and unloaded a barrage of punches . He said as Jaca tried to move out of danger Nanthachai “let go another volley of punches until Jaca slumped over slightly and turned his body away from the attack, no longer capable of responding.” The time was 1:36 of the sixth round.
Jaca dropped to 28-5-3 with 13 knockouts while Yodsanan who is rated No. 8 by the WBA improved to 56-1 with 45 KO‘s. Another fighter of Rex “Wakee” Salud, JR Sollano lasted just 2:05 seconds of the opening round before the referee stepped in to call a halt to the mauling he was taking from undefeated Saddam Kietyongyuth in a battle for the vacant Asian Boxing Council lightweight title.
Kietyongyuth dropped Sollano in the early stages of round one with a left hook but the Filipino beat the count before the Thai who had shown “:devastating speed and power” according to Mallon, landed a massive left hook after he himself was knocked off balance by a left hook from Sollano, to end the fight. Kietyongyuth improved to 15-0 with 11 knockouts and according to Mallon is hoping to land a bout against Australia-based Filipino, Ranee “KO Kid” Ganoy.
Ganoy returns to the country after a long absence fighting in Australia and will see action on a big fight card being staged at the Cebu Coliseum on July 19 by well-known promoter Sammy Gello-ani. Over in Ratchaburi, Javier Malulan lost by an eighth round TKO to world-rated lveteran Pramuansak Posuwan in a WBO Asia Pacific super flyweight title fight.
Posuwan improved to 43-1-1, 23 KO’s while Malulan fell to 12-4, 7 KO’s. In another bout Albert Alcoy (5-2-3, 2 KO’s)was beaten on points in a six round bout by flyweight Samransak Singmanassak (33-19-1, 26 KO’s) who has been a favorite whipping boy of several Filipino boxers in the past.
The other Filipino fighter who lost was bantamweight Anthony Esmedina (4-5-2, 0 KO’s) who was also beaten on points by Duangpetch Saengmorakot (39-1-1, 15 KO’s).
The saving grace for the Philippines was Dodie Boy Agrabio who knocked out newcomer Yokkeo Sor Poonsawat in the opening round of a super featherweight bout. It was Yokkeo’s second pro fight after having lost in his debut. Agrabio improved to 9-5-1 with 2 knockouts to his name.