The boxers of the Braveheart Boxing Club of North Cotabato made a triumphant return to the Cebu Coliseum winning nine out of the ten scheduled contests of the Thriller in April fight card Saturday night.
Rolando “Smooth Operator” Magbanua retained his WBO Interim bantamweight title with a third round knockout win over Wanpoadejseuk Sithsaithong of Thailand.
Magbanua pressed the initiative from the opening bell and landed the more effective punches.
There are plans for Magbanua to get a world title shot within the year.
Edrin “The Sting” Dapudong of the Braveheart stable wrested the WBO jr. flyweight title from veteran Bert “The Ninja” Batawang of the SGG stable of Cebu City. The protagonists gave an electrifying display of close quarter hand to hand combat. They fought at a torrid pace unloading a wide array of power punches.
Dapudong scored a knockdown in the fifth round but the action did not slow down one bit. Batawang was knocked down again in the seventh and Dapudong was awarded the TKO victory.
Richard “Lionheart” Betos handed Korean Jonghwa Lee his first career loss with a TKO win in the eight and final round of a brutal contest.
Featherweight Lorenzo “Thunderbolt” Villanueva continued his knockout streak with a 3 round demolition of Thailander Viratnoi Sitsuey. Villanueva is now 14 wins, no losses with 14 KOs.
Rommel “The Little Assassin” Asenjo needed 34 seconds to knockout Wutisak Sithsoey also of Thailand in the 1st round of their mimimumweight bout. The Thai fighter had to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher.
Jermie Jabel of the Braveheart stable beat Rey Villar of the Omega boxing gym by 4th round TKO with an impressive display of body punching.
Braveheart’s Rey Juntilla won by first round TKO over Omega’s Jerry Pahal.
Rolando Magallano of the SGG stable beat Johnmark Dieta of the Braveheart stable by split decision in six rounds.
Braveheart boy Rogelio Canete won by unanimous decision over Andy Seneres of the RWS Stable in a four round flyweight bout. Seneres was knocked down in the first and third rounds. The score cards read 38-36 all for Canete. /Correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr.
