Gerry Penalosa displayed his old form, used his vaunted right jab and then unleashed a left straight to flatten Thai Bangsaen Sithpraprom in the seventh round of a scheduled 12-rounder to win the vacant World Boxing Foundation superfly crown Saturday night (11/27/04) at the Casino Filipino amphitheater in Parañaque. New Zealand’s Bruce McTavish, the third man on the ring, did not bother to toll the count as Bangsaen fell unconscious following the fatal blow to the chin at the 1:45 mark of the 7th frame. “I’m very happy for this win. I wanted to show I still have the reflexes and movements and my power is still intact. I’m proven right tonight,” Peñalosa said in a post-fight interview at ringside. WBF president Mick Croucher and Strike Revilla awarded the championship belt to Peñalosa. The win improved Peñalosa’s record to 48-5-2, with 33 KO’s, while Sithpraprom suffered his first loss in 15 fights. The victory also means a possible US fight for Peñalosa, where promoter Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr plans to bring him under the banner of Don King. In the chief support, WBF International welter boss Rey Pelonia had a tougher time against former World Amateurs campaigner Jakrit Thaweekonggym, but gutted it out to stop the latter 16 seconds gone in the penultimate round of their scheduled 12-rounder. Sukarno Banjao, the WBF International flyweight titlist, had the hardest fight as he was tested to the limit by Wisanu Pornobnom before finding the lethal punch that stopped the Thai at the 2:50 of the 9th stanza. Banjao earlier sent Wisanu down in the 7th round, and finished off his foe with a right two rounds later. Also, Kid Orais proved too much for Elderd Romero as he won the vacant WBF International bantam laurels with a 6th-round technical decision following a clash of heads that drew crimson from both protagonists. In other bouts, world-ranked Juanito Rubillar stopped Yodsuk Windeesports in the opening frame, while Rexon Flores halted Samart TwinGym in the third. Mike Farenas TKO’d Ferdie Sagado; Rene Meval upset Robert Lerio by split decision; while Pit Anacaya decisioned Marlo Villamor.
