It was a spectacular evening, showcasing as Cebuano boxing promoter Lorenzo “Chao” Sy successfully brought high-level pro- boxing back to the iconic Cebu Coliseum last May 9, 2026, via “Fist of Fury 10: The Eliminator”
The event marked an interesting collaboration between Chao Sy International Promotions and China-based FISTCO Boxing Promotions. For us boxing fans, it reignited Cebu’s proud legacy as a boxing powerhouse in the Asia-Pacific region.
MAIN EVENT. The highlight of the evening was a brutal 12-round IBF minimumweight world title eliminator between Chinese knockout artist Dianxing Zhu (16-1, 14 KOs) and unbeaten local contender Ian Paul “Assassin” Abne (12-0-2, 4 KOs).
This Last Rounder has seen his share of vicious fights, but I have to admit that this fight was one of the most brutal I have seen in recent years.
It was a war of attrition filled with blood, heart, and non-stop action. Zhu ultimately prevailed by unanimous decision, but Abne fought with the fire of a hometown hero, but Zhu’s relentless pressure and power proved too much in the later rounds.
I thought Abne fought the wrong fight from the opening bell as the normally slick and resilient Bisaya opted to match up with the aggressive Chinese knockout specialist who marched forward with relentless pressure, looking to impose his power.
As a fan, I was happy that we got a punishing battle of attrition, but as a fight purist, I thought Abne’s corner dropped the ball coming into that fight if their strategy was to fight toe-to-toe with Zhu.
In the early rounds, Abne held his ground, and this is because usually a fighter is still fresh and sturdy in the beginning but as the fight wore on, Zhu’s seemingly inexhaustible energy supply sapped Abne’s stamina and Zhu scored two knockdowns — in round six and round eight . This shifted the momentum and ultimately became the difference on the scorecards.
To his credit Abne showed incredible resilience, rising each time and continuing to fight back with determination, but Zhu’s constant forward pressure and volume proved too much to overcome in the championship rounds.
After 12 grueling rounds, all the judges had the visiting fighter as the victor with scores of 115-111, 114-112 and Katsuhiro Nakamura: 116-110
AFTERMATH. The victory improved Zhu’s record to 17-1 (14 KOs) and earned him the right to challenge reigning IBF Minimumweight World Champion Pedro Taduran as the mandatory contender.
It was the first loss for Abne, and his record now stands at 12-1-2 (4 KOs). Seated ringside, we thought his corner should have thrown in the towel with the punishment he was subjected to, but he showed incredible heart and reinforced his reputation as a tough, fan-friendly fighter.
CEBU BOXING. The atmosphere inside the newly revived Cebu Coliseum was electric as local fans came out in force, creating an unforgettable environment for big-time boxing’s return to the venue.
Seen at the venue was Antonio “Bidoy” Aldeguer, “Godfather of Cebu Boxing,” as well as IBF minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran, who was ringside cheering alongside boxing legends like Nonito Donaire Jr., Donnie Nietes, and Dodie Boy Peñalosa. Also enjoying the action was retired Court of Appeals Justice Gabiel “Gabby” Ingles, a true-blue boxing fan
It was a great night to bring back big-time boxing in Cebu and plans are reportedly underway for bigger things with a potential Taduran vs Zhu world title bout.
LAST ROUND. It’s on Hediah Gayle Sincero who turns 18 today. Cheers!