Ryan Songalia
800 articles · PhilBoxing.com
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At home with the Pacquiaos
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines ? Riding down a dimly lit road through the heart of General Santos City, you'd never suspect that you were approaching the home of one of the most…
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Gonzalez, Sanchez Jr. score KOs in Nicaragua
Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez made his official entrance into the flyweight division Saturday night, stopping Francisco Rodriguez Jr. in seven rounds at the Crowne Plaza in his hometown of Managua, Nicaragua. The time…
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Donaire Sr., Donaire Jr. reconcile differences
Nonito Donaire Sr. says that he and his son, three-division titleholder Nonito Donaire Jr., have reconciled their differences after several years of separation. In an interview with respected Filipino sports journalist Dennis…
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Mayweather-Alvarez: Against the ‘0’
It was Floyd Mayweather Jr. who coined the phrase, "There is no blueprint on how to beat me." The line, which has become one of the primary weapons in his pre-fight mind…
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Nietes, Sabillo to defend titles in Dubai on Nov. 29
MANILA, Philippines - WBO junior flyweight titleholder Donnie Nietes and WBO strawweight titleholder Merlito Sabillo will defend their titles on November 29 in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai, says promoter…
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Hernandez retains WBC 108-pound title, stops Kakutani in four
It was tougher than anticipated, but Adrian Hernandez emerged victorious in the third defense of his WBC junior flyweight title, knocking out the unheralded Atsushi Kakutani in four rounds on Saturday at…
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Santana hopes to overcome career ‘stutters’
If Francisco Santana never wins another fight in his professional boxing career, he can already walk away ahead of the game. As a young man growing up in Santa Barbara, Calif., Santana…
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Laurente, Taconing, Elorde Brothers score KOs in Pasay City
PASAY CITY, Philippines ? At 36 years of age and with 55 fights in the record books, welterweight Dennis Laurente is in a race against time to achieve his long-awaited goal of…
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Pacquiao, Rios face to face in Macau
MACAU - The scene atop the dais at the Venetian Resort in Macau, China was a testament to how globalized the sport of boxing has become. To the left was Manny Pacquiao,…
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Chinese boxing rides on Zou’s shoulders
MACAU, CHINA - The question of whether Zou Shiming can become a star in boxing can be answered by defining what a star is. If by ?star? you mean having your face…
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Gradovich remains humble going into first title defense
MACAU ? The best kind of gamble is the one where you stand to lose nothing at all. At the Venetian Resort in Macau, China, where the minimum bets at most tables…
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Rios enjoys Macau as he awaits Pacquiao face-off
MACAU - If the stakes are higher than ever for Brandon Rios, he didn't show any feelings of nervousness when he strolled into the Venetian Resort for the final press conference for…
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Xiong enjoys celebrity status in China as next defense takes shape
Just a few weeks removed from the biggest win of his career, plans are already underway for WBC strawweight titleholder Xiong Zhaozhong's second title defense in October. Xiong (21-4-1, 11 knockouts) of…
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Second mandatory title shot awaits Cuello after surgery
MANILA, Philippines - After four hours under a surgeon's knife, Filipino strawweight contender Denver Cuello is on the road to recovery and redemption. The 26-year-old from Cabatuan, in the Philippine province of…
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Sabillo stops Estrada in 9
PASAY CITY, Philippines - Before he won the WBO strawweight title, Merlito Sabillo made his living as a street fighter in the marketplace of Bacolod City, Philippines, earning the equivalent of $20…
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Friday marks future’s threshold for Tapia
Glen Tapia isn't willing to speculate past Friday night. Tapia (18-0, 10 knockouts) is scheduled to face fellow unbeaten junior middleweight Abraham Han (19-0, 12 KOs) in the co-feature to this week's…
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From street fighter to world title holder
MANILA, Philippines - Before Merlito Sabillo was WBO strawweight champion, he was the champion of the Bacolod City marketplace. Sabillo (22-0, 11 knockouts) is scheduled to make his first title defense this…
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Martinez’s Team wants Golovkin fight, just not now
Sampson Lewkowicz was in Mexico with RING middleweight champion Sergio Martinez when word came in that WBA titleholder Gennady Golovkin had knocked out Matthew Macklin on Saturday night with a single body…
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Dapudong calls on Philippine vice president
MANILA ? From the impoverished villages of North Cotabato, Philippines to a courtesy call with his country's vice president. The career of Edrin Dapudong has been a rollercoaster through 34 pro fights,…
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Danger is omnipresent for female fighters, too
There was an eerie silence that fell over the crowd at the Congress Centre at the Radisson Blue Waterfront Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden on Friday evening, belying the intense action that had…
