Highland boxer wins OPBF crown

CARLO Magali of Highland Boxing Gym in La Trinidad, Benguet used his experience to defeat previously unbeaten Sandeep Balhara from India during the weekend in Malaysia.

Magali scored a 10th round technical knock-out against Balhara for the WBC Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation Featherweight Silver Championship.

With the victory, Magali improved to 22 wins, 11 coming by way of knockouts with nine loses and three draws and scored his back-to-back win this year after securing a hard earned decision against Michael Escobia earlier this year.

But prior to his two fight winning streak, Magali retired against Pavel Malikov in November last year for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver lightweight title in DIVS, Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Magali also failed to snatch the World Boxing Association (WBA) International Lightweight title against defending champion Emmanuel Tagoe of Ghana in July, also last year.

The 30-year-old righty from Talibon, Bohol once hugged the limelight after his Australian opponent died a day after snatching the WBC Eurasia Pacific Boxing Council super featherweight title in Australia on September 2015.

David Browne Jr. was knocked out by Magali in Round 12, regained consciousness but then collapsed from his stool and was taken to hospital in critical condition suffering from brain injuries, then died a day after. (Roderick Osis)