Philippines, 03 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


43rd US Open 9-Ball Championship: De Luna beats Pagulayan, enters semis


PhilBoxing.com




Jeffrey "The Bull" De Luna outplayed Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, 11-5, in a duel of the fancied Filipino bets to barge into the semifinal round of the partypoker money-rich 43rd US Open 9-Ball Championship being held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, Las Vegas on Friday (Manila time).

With the win, the power-breaker De Luna sets up a clash against Joshua Filler of Germany in the semifinals.

De Luna took early leads and never looked back in his match against Pagaulayan, the latter did get an opportunity to fight back from 10-3 up when De Luna missed a straight 3 to the middle pocket but at 10-5 his fightback stumbled and ?The Bull? closed out the rack for a victory which ensures there will be a new name on the Barry Behrman trophy this year.

?I really felt the pressure in the first rack,? said De Luna. ?Alex is a great player, a World champion, but I played my game and I am very comfortable now at the table. Last night I played terribly but I practiced today and felt comfortable on the table.

"Keep calm & focus on your goals. God is good all the time," said Dianne Gutierrez De Luna, wife of Jeffrey.

Filler, on the other hand toppled Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain, 11-3, in another quarterfinals match-ups.

For reaching the semi-final round, De Luna and Filler already assured at least $25,000 in this 256 players field, $300,000 total pot prize World Pool-Billiards Association (WPA) sanctioned tournament which offers $50,000 to the champion and $25,000 goes with it for the runner-up prize.

The remaining match still playing at presstime of the tourney are Lui Haitao (China) versus Chang Yu-Lung (Chinese-Taipei) and Wang Can (China) opposite countryman Wu Jiaqing (China).

On the roads to the final eight, the undefeated De Luna needed to beat Torsten Schmitt of Germany (11-0), Chris Robinson of the United States (11-9), countryman Dennis Orcollo (11-10), Kenichi Uchigaki of Japan (11-3) Lui Hai Tao of China (11-5) and Imran Majid of Great Britain, 11-9, in the round-of-16.

In the history of US Open 9-ball, the longest-running 9-ball tournament in the United States, only two Filipino manage to take the crown/title in the likes of Efren "Bata" Reyes in 1994 and Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan in the 2005 edition. Pagulayan who hails from Cabagan, Isabela is representing Canada.-Marlon Bernardino-

Photo credits to Vincent Rochefort/Matchroom Sports.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Lorenzo Parra Vs Elijah Pierce and Jimuel Pacquiao Pro Debut Featured in Manny Pacquiao Promotions Nov. 29 Inaugural Event at Pechanga Resort Casino
    , Fri, 03 Oct 2025
  • Villar and Astuvilca Make Weight for Title Rematch at All Star Boxing: Seneca Fight Night
    , Fri, 03 Oct 2025
  • Allan Villanueva vs. Jyl Wright Headlines Peter Maniatis Event in Melbourne Oct. 3
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • BUSTAMANTE AND JONES NAMED CAPTAINS FOR REYES CUP 2025
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • Mike Tyson Joins BoltBetz as Strategic Investor and Promotional Partner to Usher in a New Era of Cashless Gaming
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • BOXING LEGEND MANNY PACQUIAO LAUNCHES “MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS” IN THE UNITED STATES
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • BOOTS HUNTING THE BIG FISH AT 154LBS
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • IBA Unveils Historic 2025 IBA Men’s Elite World Championships as Part of a Spectacular Two-Week ‘Festival of Boxing’ in Dubai with Unprecedented $8 Million Prize Pool
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • Final Bell for 2025 USA Boxing National Open Event National Open Event Concludes with 1,870 Registered Participants in Tulsa, Oklahoma
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 15: JOE FRAZIER’S PROFESSIONAL CAREER
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • World Boxing relocates Congress 2025 to Rome
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: Behind the WBC Boxing Grand Prix
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • JOHANN CHUA BEGINS TITLE DEFENCE AGAINST IVICA PUTNIK AS DRAW CONFIRMED FOR 2025 HANOI OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
    , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • CUBAN FUTURE CHAMPIONS YOENLI HERNANDEZ, ARMANDO MARTINEZ RABI & GUSTAVO TRUJILLO HEADLINE ‘FISTS OF FURY 8’
    , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • USA Boxing Finishes Canada Duel Undefeated
    , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • Dana White Seeks to Make Significant Changes in the World Boxing
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 29 September 2025: Ferreira Retains IBF 135 Belt by Outpointing Moneo; Clavel Dethrones IBF 105 Champ Cudos
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • Canelo Alvarez Facing Extended Layoff After Crawford Loss; Surgery Confirms Injury Rumors
    By Dong Secuya, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • Dante Stone is last American standing in Inaugural WBC Grand Prix
    , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • Age Defying Triumph: At Age 50 Toshihiko Era Wins World Title
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • TKO and Zuffa Boxing sign streaming agreement with Paramount
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • Boxing Ephemera, Pacquiao’s Mouthguard, and the Meaning of It All
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • A turning point for global sport: IBA President Umar Kremlev and Donald Trump Jr join forces
    , Mon, 29 Sep 2025
  • Rosia captures PBF super fly title
    , Mon, 29 Sep 2025
  • Tancontians starred 2025 Sports Heroes Night
    , Mon, 29 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.