VIRGEL Vitor was true to his word and destroyed South Korean Dong Kwan Lee in his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental super featherweight title defense in the main event of “Kumong Bol-anon VIII” on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at the Calape Coliseum in Calape, Bohol.
Vitor knocked out Lee with a wicked left hook in the second round of the bout.
“Like what I said, once I find the opening then I’ll knock him out. I didn’t waste any time while I was inside,” Vitor said.
Vitor, 25, dropped Lee with a right late in the second round. Lee was able to beat the count of referee Danrex Tapdasan but he was sent to the canvas for good at the 2:55 mark.
Vitor logged his seventh straight win and improved to 20-2 with 13 knockouts, while the 30-year-old Lee fell to 16-3-2 with seven knockouts.
PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions head Floriezyl Echavez Podot believes that Vitor is ready for bigger fights.
“If we can get a world title fight next year, the better. We will request this for Vitor because we believe he’s ready,” he said.
However, if Vitor won’t get an outright world title shot, Podot hopes that they’ll be able to get at least a world title eliminator.
“At least he will break into the world rankings,” he said.
The WBO super featherweight belt is currently vacant. Mexicans Oscar Valdez and Emanuel Navarrete are scheduled to fight for the belt in February.
On the other hand, Daniel Nicolas (7-0, 4 KOs) won the vacant WBO Oriental Youth featherweight strap after a split decision win over Jestine Tesoro (7-5, 3 KOs).
Judges Edward Ligas and Rafael Osumo had identical scores of 77-75 for Nicolas, while Tapdasan scored it 77-74 for Tesoro.
In the undercard, Jhunrille Castino (13-1, 4 KOs) outclassed Emmanuel Mogawa (5-7, 2 KOs) by unanimous decision; Shane Gentallan (6-0, 3 KOs) stopped Ronald Ewican (5-6, 2 KOs) in the third round; John Vincent Pangga (8-0, 5 KOs) scored a first round stoppage of Ruel Julian (4-4, 1 KO); Rodel Suganob (8-0-1, 3 KOs) walked away with a technical decision win over Mark Glen Antaran (4-7-3, 3 KOs); Christian Balunan (6-0, 3 KOs) beat Jay-R Tulinan (4-7, 2 KOs) by unanimous decision; Gerwin Asilo (3-0, 1 KO) won by unanimous decision against Kier Clenton Espere (4-4-1, 1 KO); Reymart Tagacanao (3-0, 3 KOs) scored a first round technical knockout of Jerry Tabago (3-10-1); RJ Sios-e (3-0, 2 KOs) defeated Dave Barlas (5-6-1, 3 KOs) by unanimois decision; Pablito Balidio (6-3-3, 1 KO) won against Ernesto Camiguing (3-3-1, 1 KO) by technical decision; and Arnel Tinampay (28-26-1, 13 KOs) demolished Ryan Maano (5-15-2, 1 KO) in four rounds.