JAPANESE challenger Koji Samejima made a big mistake when he tried to get back from an earlier knock down by trying to engage Randy “Kumo’ng Bato” Suico.
As a result, Suico kept his OPBF lightweight belt by an overwhelming knockout win at the 2:23 mark of the eighth round of his title defense at the SM Mall of Asia last Saturday night.
Suico’s win somewhat erased the disappointment when Jimrex Jaca (28-3-2, 13KOs) kept his WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight kept his belt by a controversial technical draw with Ryu Miyagi (16-1-3, 12 KOs) at the 2:17 mark in the second round.
Suico (27-3, 23 KOs) downed Samejima (15-2-1, 6 KOs) with a well-timed left hook and when the Japanese fighter tried to avenge his ordeal, Suico connected another left and followed it up with a right straight that eventually ended the match.
Meanwhile, after a feisty first round, the Jaca-Miyagi bout saw an anti-climactic ending when referee Bruce McTavish was forced to stop the contest upon the advice of the physician who checked on the two nasty cuts on Jaca.
McTavish ruled that the cut was caused by an accidental headbutt but television replays displayed the cuts were opened by a legal blow delivered by the Japanese.
Miyagi dropped Jaca with a right early in the fight and gave the champion a tough time with a barrage of punches. But Jaca was able to retaliate, putting the Japanese challenger down with a left before the round ended.
However, the fight was cut short after the two cuts started to get nastier.
Wyndell Janiola (19-4-1, 9 KOs), on the other hand, was lucky enough to score a split decision win over Hiroyuki Hisataka (15-6-1, 5KOs) after 10 rounds.
Two judges had it 97-94 for Janiola, while the third judge scored it 97-93 for Hisataka.
The biggest upset of the night came with the TKO defeat of Marvin Tampus (14-7-2, 11 KOs) to Danilo Peña (11-3, 6 KOs) in just three rounds.
In the other bouts, ex-Olympian Roel Laguna also scored a TKO win in the first round over Mervin Batolina; Jonathan Ba-at had a technical draw with Eric Rapada; Noriyuki Komatsu also figured in a technical draw with Roy Doliguez; Alic Cali scored a unanimous decision over Richard Donaire; Jayson Siaton debuted with a TKO win in the first round over Alvin Gonzales; and Roldolfo Sumabong scored a majority decision win over Ronel de la Peña after four rounds. (RCM)
