Singapore - The Philippines' Lorenzo Villanueva showed his vaunted punching power by knocking down Indonesia's Daud Yordan barely a minute into the first round but exposed his inexperience by trying to finish the fight early opening himself up to accurate counterpunching by the dazed Indon fighter which resulted in two knockdowns in the second round.
Villanueva, 26, who was fighting his first world championship, threw wild punches and abandoned his defense in a vain attempt to finish off Yordan, who scored with crisp combinations that sent the Filipino to the canvas twice in the second round, prompting Australian referee Phil Austin to wave off the fight.
In tears in his dug-out after the fight, Villanueva said he thought he had the Indonesian's number as he connected with a stunning left that floored Yordan in the first and punished him with powerful body shots.
Fighting like an amok, Villanueva threw all caution to the wind missing with wild punches and walking into beautiful counterpunching by Yordan who had recovered in the second round.
"This is a sad learning experience," said trainer Bruce Lerio who, along with Villanueva's manager, former North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol, was frustrated as the fighter refused to listen to the corner to time and select his punches.
"We were almost there. Yordan was badly hurt but Villanueva's inexperience did him in," said Lerio.
Top photo: Yordan knocks down Villanueva for the second time in the second round.
Villanueva knocks down Yordan in the first minute of the first round.
Yordan celebrates after the referee stopped the fight.
Villanueva is being escorted by the referee to his corner after the stoppage.
Comments
Share your thoughts on the above article.