TRONGCO LOSES BY TKO IN WBA INTERIM TITLE FIGHT

Minimum weight Renan Trongco has lost by a 6th round TKO to Mexico?s champion Sammy Gutierrez in a WBA Interim title fight in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Trongco who hadn?t beaten any fighter of note but was rated No. 15 by the WBA had a record of 8-3 with 5 knockouts. In his last fight Trongco scored a tebn round unanimous decision over Jonathan Ricablanca.

However, Trongco stunned the reigning interim champion Gutierrez of Mexico who had a record of 27-5-2 with 18 KO?s) in the very first round.

A report by Michael Lopez to the Inquirer said the southpaw Trongco ?came out strong dropping Gutierrez in the first round but Gutierrez easily beat the count.?

Lopez said ?Trongco immediately jumped on Gutierrez in the hope of finishing him off with a series of hard straight lefts to the head according to Lopez. But Gutierrez fired back and weathered the storm and made it to the final bell of round one.?

Following his corner?s advice Gutierrez went to the body over the next few rounds and the effort paid off as Trongco began to tire badly by rounds four and his punches no longer had any snap.

Referee Anibal Andrade deducted a point from Gutierrez in round six for excessive use of his elbow. Moments later Gutierrez stepped up the pressure and caught Trongco with a barrage of head and body shots on the ropes before Andrade waved the fight off.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:19 of round six.

Prior to Trongco accepting the fight, ALA Promotions offered former IBF minimum weight champion Florante ?Little Pacquiao? Condes as an opponent but it was turned down by the Gutierrez camp fearing that Condes was too good for the interim title holder.