WBC #12 ranked Filipino lefty Dennis Laurente (21-2-4, 11 KOs), 133.25, barely kept his OPBF lightweight belt by a majority decision over an elongated OPBF #9 ranked Japanese Chikashi Inada (15-2, 11 KOs), 134.5, over twelve close rounds on Saturday (10/2/04) in Tokyo, Japan. Scored: Nobuaki Uratani (Japan) 115-114 and Ramon Flores (Philippines) 119-109, both for Laurente, and scoring referee David Chung (Korea) 115-115. Inada, a stylish jabber, was in command in the first four rounds, but Laurente turned loose by changing his counterpunching strategy to constant aggression to dominate the fifth through tenth rounds. Inada, in the eleventh, unleashed good shots to the fading champ to take a point, but the Filipino showed his heart to win the final session.
PINOYS WIN WBF TITLES 9-26-04. By Salven L. Lagumbay: Pinoy boxers proved they are ready to embrace the World Boxing Foundation here as they won their matches in Saturday (9/25/04) night’s “WBF Showdown” at the Flash Elorde Ballroom to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of the late Papa Sarreal, the acknowledged Grand Old Man of Philippine boxing. The event, graced no less by WBF president Mick Croucher of Australia, members of the Elorde and Sarreal family, as well as ex-WBC champ Gerry Peñalosa, turned out to be an explosive one. Negros-born Sukarno Banjao showed his power as he sent down Indon Yongki Afrizal twice on the canvas, prompting American referee Gene Del Bianco to halt the fight at the 2:08 mark of the sixth round. Afrizal first went down in the second round following a left hook by Banjao, but managed to pile up points thereafter to keep the fight exciting. However, a right straight in the sixth found its mark, sending the Pino Bahari-trained boxer sprawled on the canvas once again. He did not beat the count. In another WBF bout, Rey Pelonia crowned himself the new welterweight titlist with a stirring second round demolition of Indon Ferri Wirawan. The end came at the 53-second mark of the round following a right straight that sent Wirawan on all fours for the count. Mark Sales of the Polding Correa Stable also took care of business with a hairline majority decision over Celso Danggod after their fight was halted in the fifth following a cut suffered by Sales due to an unintentional headbutt. Also holding sway was Benjie Sorolla of Marty Elorde Stable who took the WBF minimumweight crown with a 7th-round knockout win over Rey Orais. The shorter Sorolla kept battering the wiry Orais’ midsection, finally halting the latter at the 53-second mark of the seventh. In the curtain-raiser, Rey Labao TKO’d Leonard Dagdagen in the first round, while Marlo Villamor TKO’d Domingo Paraiso in the second stanza.
