Randy Petalcorin of General Santos City stopped a game and crowd pleasing Rogen Flores in the fifth round to retain his Philippine Boxing Federation flyweight crown Saturday at the Lagao Gym in General Santos.
The champion was peppering his opponent with combinations when Flores? corner threw in the towel.
It was Petalcorin?s 10th stopped win in 12 fights. He lost only once to flyweight sensation Marlon Tapales.
Both Petalcorin and Flores came out strong, throwing combinations to the delight of the crowd who was rooting for the General Santos native.
Flores was a late substitute for Arnel Tadena who was not allowed to fight reportedly due to hepatitis infection.
Flores however gave the crowd something to cheer as he taunt the corner of Petalcorin and sometimes played possum.
The game Flores protested his corner?s decision to stop the fight but the outcome was never in doubt as Petalcorin was leading in all scorecards when the bout was halted.
In the other co-feature championship fight, undefeated Jay-R Edurot made a short work out over Ervin Jamlan whom he dropped with a powerful body shot in the second round to earn his sixth knockout win in as many professional fights to win the vacant Mindanao Professional Boxing Federation bantamweight title.
Petalcorin and Edurot are managed and promoted by Sanman Promotions who promoted Saturday?s boxing card.
Sanman stands for San Andres Fishing Industries and JC Mananquil Promotions.
In two other supporting bouts, highly regarded and unbeaten featherweight Lorenzo Villanueva of former Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Pi?ol?s Braveheart boxing stable connected with a powerful left to the chin of Ruben Santillanosa to register his 19th abbreviated win in 20 fights.
His stable mate Rommel Asenjo, however, barely survived a tough Jhongjhong Ponteras to win a close 75-74 decision in the scorecards of all judges.
Asenjo dropped Ponteras in the first round but was deducted a point when he hit his opponent after the bell sounded to end in the second round.
Ponteras came out smoking in the third round to also knocked down Asenjo in the same round.
In the battle between unbeaten super bantamweights, Ernie Sanchez of Brian Golingan?s stable bucked a third round knock down to beat Rey Juntilla of Pi?ol?s Braveheart via a majority decision over eight rounds.
Sanchez returned the favor by driving Juntilla to the seat of his pants in the fifth round.
Both fighters were clearly exhausted when the final bell rang.
In other abbreviated fights, middleweight Marlon Alta scored a second round spectacular KO win over journeyman Jaesar Ancajas while Richard Donaire, a cousin of reigning world bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr, stopped Efren Fernandez also in the second round.
Ryan Lumacad also made his successful pro debut by knocking out Joseph Demos in the second canto. Lumacad is the younger brother of Fernando Lumacad who once fought but lost to Jorge Arce of Mexico.
Other results are Romeo Dimate Jr winning over Jovel Romasasa and JP Macadumpis prevailing over Jason Cinco. Both fights went the distance.
