TWENTY-FIVE-year-old Rene Dacquel edged a battle weary and much experienced Japanese fighter to win the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight title on August 21 in Okinawa, Japan.
Daqcuel, of Manabo town in Abra edged Go Onaga via unanimous decision to improve his record to 18 victories, including six knock outs and six losses with one draw.
“I know he (Onaga) is among the top boxers in my division that is why I doubled my preparation for that fight,” Dacquel said in Ilocano.
“He was tough. He displayed what a true veteran of the sport is,” Dacquel described his opponent.
The righty boxer earlier snatched the interim OBF crown after scoring a technical knockout against Rathaphol Suwaonsoda in April earlier this year in Bacolod City to arrange a showdown against Onaga.
Prior to his loss against Dacquel, Onaga was riding high on a 10 fight winning streak that dates back in 2012 when he defeated Jaypee Otilla via a technical knockout while last was against Renoel Pael in March this year in Okinawa, Japan.
The 36-year-old Onaga however, suffered his third loss with 27 wins and two draws.
Dacquiel was given a shot at the OPBF crown after defeating former IPB Pan Pacific minimumweight champion Mateo Handig in February this year in Taguig City.
The bout came after Dacquel suffered a unanimous decision loss against Takuma Inoue, also for OPBF crown in December 2015.
Dacquel also took home the WBC Youth World super flyweight champion when he knocked out Menard Abila in Taal, Batangas on October 2014 but later on failed to defend the crown against Jhaleel Payao in December of the same year.
He also took home the vacant International Boxing Organization International super flyweight title after beating Thembelani Nxoshe on August 2015 in Eastern Cape, South Africa. (Roderick Osis/With reports from Jessa Mardy Polonio)