On a day featuring six Filipino boxers fighting on the world stage for three world title fights, Nonito Donaire and Marlon Tapales came up big time.
The others just fell short.
The veteran Donaire and upcoming Tapales saved what should have been a rare opportunity to showcase Filipino boxing to the world in a single day by both impressively winning their scheduled important fights in the USA as those slated on the same date in Dubai produced frustrating results.
December 11, Saturday in the USA and the United Arab Emirates and Sunday, December 12 in the Philippines promised to highlight the best of Filipino boxing internationally as five major bouts, three for the world championships involving four Filipino fighters were on tap in Dubai and Carson City, California.
But the fight cards in Dubai promoted by Probellum in which three Filipinos namely Johnriel Casimero and Jayson Mama, both supposedly figuring in world title bouts and former multi division titlist Donnie Nietes in a world title eliminator, did not live up to high expectations.
Casimero was a no show as early as the official weigh in the day before, victim allegedly of a viral gastritis. Mama proved still too raw in his first overseas fight and world title crack, losing dismally to defending IBF flyweight titlist Sunny Edwards by 12 round unanimous decision. Meanwhile, Nietes could only drew with Dominican Republic’s Norbelto Jimenez after 10 rounds.
Johnriel was supposed to make a third defense of his WBO world bantamweight crown against former IBF titlist Paul Butler but was forced to scratch out due to the sudden stomach viral infection. The organizers tried to salvage the scheduled bout by bringing in another former titleholder, the old and jaded Joseph Agbeko supposedly to fight Butler for the interim world championship. But the WBO refused to strip Casimero without due process while Butler reportedly wanted no part in the charade, insisting that he wanted to fight for the regular title. However, Casimero is still in danger of being defrocked outside of the ring if his camp failed to substantiate the claim of medical emergency.
There’s no excuse for Mama. Sunny Edwards, younger brother of Casimero past victim, Charlie, was simply too good for him, delivering a master class boxing clinic over 12 rounds.
Maybe affected by the Casimero caper, ‘Ahas’ Nietes went all out to produce another impressive win in only his second comeback fight since 2019 but the size and rough housing, abetted by the referee, of the younger Jimenez affected his performance. Two of the judges split their cards between Nietes and Jimenez both by two points margin, while the third ruled it a draw. Nietes thus successfully retained his WBO international super flyweight belt but his readiness for another go at the World title at 115 lbs was rendered doubtful.
The fighter who impressed in Dubai, going by media reports, was huge Uzbekistan heavyweight Bakhofir Jalolov who stamped his own readiness for big time pro boxing by knocking out his opponent with his first real blow in the very first round.
With comebacking Ukranian former undisputed lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko fighting and winning convincingly over ex IBF titlist Richard Commey a few hours later on the same day, it appeared the day was already ruined for Philippine boxing to still shine through.
But then came the Carson City fight promotion pitting ex WBO bantamweight ruler Marlon Tapales against high ranking Japanese contender Hiroaki Teshigawara in a 10 round world super bantamweight title eliminator as main support bout underneath the main event 12 round All-Filipino bout between Nonito Donaire and Reymart Gaballo for the WBC bantamweight championship.
Tapales, with a disappointing world title eliminator TKO loss to another Japanese Ryosuke Iwasa in 2019 still hounding him, proved that he would not be denied this time as he tore into Teshigawara from the opening bell.
Tapales drops Teshigawara.
Initially, it appeared that it would be a long night for Marlon as the taller Teshigawara seemed to essay Iwasa’s strategy of long range punching, even landing a hard straight as Tapales stood toe to toe. But then, Tapales, also known as the Maranding Nightmare, connected with a sweeping left hook to the side of the face which he quickly followed up with a right cross to the jaw that sent the Japanese down on his back to the canvas.
Teshigawara took the mandatory eight count and the fight continued until another ponderous 1-2 combination sent him on all fours near the end of the first round. The bell saved the Japanese from a possible opening round KO.
When the bell for the second round rang, it appeared that Teshigawara had not fully recovered from the shellacking he took in the first as he unsteadily got out of his corner.
Tapales quickly capitalised and decked him hard with another left hook. The referee immediately stopped the contest only six seconds after the bell opening the second round rang.
As the winner, Tapales earned the right to face Uzbekistan unified WBA-IBF champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev by first quarter of 2022. Akhmadaliev had previously defended against Tapales conqueror Iwasa, winning by middle round TKO in a fight in Uzbekistan that experts agreed was stopped by the referee too soon.
But what really got the attention of fight fans and experts was the main event bout between Donaire and the then still undefeated interim belt holder Gaballo which was very competitive from the opening round.
Despite giving some inches in height and years in experience to Nonito, Gaballo proved to be a deserving challenger by trading blows with the champion, paying Nonito in kind whenever Donaire landed a shot or combination for the first three rounds.
Gaballo remained game and cagey when the fourth round started and the fans, the live spectators at the Dignity Health Sports Park were beginning to expect more of the same action as the two, especially Gaballo looked they could take whatever one could dish out.
Donaire throws a jab at Gaballo.
Then suddenly, after seeing the opening, Donaire lashed out with a combination to the body that took the wind out of Gaballo, sending him prostrate to the canvas.
As the referee tolled the count, Gaballo momentarily appeared to get to his feet but after a while sagged back down to prostrate position where he was counted out.
Nonito knelt down to his fallen compatriot and offered to help him up all the while uttering some comforting and encouraging words
Donaire retained his regular WBC belt, his first defense of the crown he won earlier by knockout over African Frenchman Nordine Oubaali. But he was into a tough fight against Gaballo who had previously fought and defeated ex IBF titlist Emmanuel Rodriguez for the WBC interim belt.
Nonito, the oldest world bantamweight champion in history and now on his third tenure as titlist at 118 lbs. is targeting a rematch versus Japan’s Naoya Inoue for 3/4 of the world belts at the loaded bantamweight division. (philboxing.com)
