TAGBILARAN CITY — Virgel Vitor showed a lot of heart after he overcame adversity and knocked out South Korean Tae Sun Kim to win the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental super featherweight belt in the main event of PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions' "Kumong Bol-anon XIV" at the Saulog Gymnasium in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on March 8, 2024.
The 26-year-old Vitor sent Kim to the canvass early in the second round with a right hook to the head. But near the end of the round, Vitor got careless and was dropped by Kim with wicked right straight to the jaw.
Vitor stood up but was still dazed and wobbly. Luckily, he was saved by the bell.
"I really was out but I was determined to stand up and continue. I would not let him beat me because I'm brave and this is my home," Vitor said after the fight.
Vitor got time to recover and slowly softened Kim with his vicious onslaught. In the seventh round, Vitor connected with a powerful right straight to the jaw that knocked out Kim in the 49-second mark.
"I was very determined because I have been longing for this belt for a long time since I was a kid. I did my best because my (ultimate) goal is to become a world champion," said Vitor.
Vitor's handler, PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions head Atty. Floriezyl Echavez Podot, was proud of Vitor's determination to win.
"I got very nervous. It was a great fight. He thought it was an easy fight but he was wrong. He was saved by the bell in the second round. The good thing is that he recovered really fast," said Podot. "That's always the dream of our boxers, to fight for a world title. We'll looking for another fight that will serve as a stepping stone for him. He'll be entering the world rankings. Maybe if a world champion will choose him as his challenger, then he'll be ready."
Vitor improved to 22-3 with 15 knockouts, whille Kim dropped to 11-2-2 with eight knockouts.
In the co-main feature, undefeated Cebuano Reymart Tagacanao (8-0, 7 KOs) proved that he is one of the most promising prospects in the country after winning the World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia super flyweight belt with a sixth round knockout of tough Indonesian Hamson Lamandau (12-6-1, 9 KOs).
The 24-year old Tagacanao, who trains under the tutelage of renowned trainer Edito Villamor, decked Lamandau with a solid left hook to the body in the second round. He finally stopped Lamandau in the 2:13 mark of the sixth round with an over hand right to the head.
In the undercard, WBO No. 15 ranked minimumweight Christian Balunan (10-0, 6 KOs) continued his hot streak after a second round knockout of veteran Clyde Azarcon (17-10-1, 6 KOs), Sugarey Leonard Pores (4-0, 3 KOs) knocked out Jacklien Serenoso (2-3-1, 2 KOs) in the third round, Richard Laspona (4-0, 3 KOs) forced Reniel Alisoso (2-3, 1 KO) to quit on his stool at the end of the opening round, Arnold Senoc Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) made quick work of Norman Rusiana (1-6-1) with second round stoppage and Leonard Pores III (1-0, 1 KO) had a successful pro debut with a second round knockout of Jarel Escriber (0-3). (EKA)