AS PROMISED by Donnie Nietes?s challenger, the match will end within five rounds with ?Ahas? lying down on the canvas.
Indeed it materialized, but not as Rayito Garcia had wished for. The Mexican quit not being able to answer the bell for Round 6 after being knocked down twice in the third.
Nietes made good on his promise, too with his gloves doing most of the talking and damage, hitting the Mexicano?s weakness ? the bread basket.
To prove his pronouncement that Raul is not the boxer that will hinder his career, and take the title away from him, Donnie beat him to the draw by not waiting what the five rounds would bring.
The Murcia native, after warming up the first, psyching up the second, went to work hitting, where his mitts wanted to fall.
And Garcia fell not only once but twice. He was lucky he did not get his third knockdown in the same round.
But he deserved more than what he wanted in tying to avenge his twin brother?s loss to Nietes five years ago also at the oven-hot USLS Coliseum.
The rays of the sun, the meaning of Rayito, never shone on him. Garcia joined compatriots Juan Jimenez and Maximino Flores in failing to make the grade against their Filipino counterparts.
?El Penita? suffered a TKO in 21 seconds of the fourth round of WBO AsPac Bantamweight Championship when Bago City?s ?King? Arthur Villanueva hit him in the groin and he fell flat for minutes before being resuscitated.
Flores bloodied Milan Melindo with a headbutt, and was sentenced with a technical KO due to a unanimous decision in 54 seconds of the seventh round.
The three judges scored 69-64; 68-65; and 67-66 in favor of the ?El Metodico? from Cagayan de Oro when the stoppage occurred.
In the end, seven of eight boxers in the red corner were triumphant except Gerard Suico of Mandaue City, who lost a split decision from townmate Reymund Rama in the 112 lbs. category.
ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports? Pinoy Pride 36: A Legend in the Making deserved another spectacle regardless of the venue.
