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Philippines, 25 Mar 2026 |
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SPORTS ROUNDUP 13: VIC SALUDAR, THE NEW WBO WORLD MINIMUMWEIGHT CHAMPION By Maloney L. Samaco PhilBoxing.com Thu, 19 Jul 2018  Vic Saludar (C). Another Filipino boxer became world champion in "Vicious" Vic Saludar who is the new World Boxing Organization minimumweight king after he wrested the belt from Ryuya Yamanaka in Kobe, Japan. The 27-year-old Cagayan de Oro based fighter survived the dominance of Yamanaka in the early rounds, who connected a solid left hand to the head and strong blows to the body of Saludar. But the Polomolok, South Cotabato born fighter, who was the WBO No. 3 contender, took his turn to command in the second half of the bout. In the seventh round, Saludar landed a 1-2 combination that floored Yamanaka to the canvas. The knockdown convinced the judges to give Saludar a unanimous decision and the crown with the scores 116-111, 117-110 and 115-112. This time Saludar was successful in his second attempt at a world title. In 2015, he failed when he challenged Kosei Tanaka for the WBO minimumweight championship. He was leading in the judges' scoresheets when a ferocious body shot in the sixth round knocked him out. Saludar now has a record of 18 wins and 3 losses with 10 wins by knockout. Yamanaka dropped to 16-3, 5 KO's. Saludar had a very successful amateur career, winning a bronze medal at the 2010 Asian Games where his brother Rey also won the gold in the flyweight category. Vic fought in a talent-laden light flyweight division that included Amnat Ruenroeng of Thailand and Zou Shiming of China, who later became world champions. With the win in Japan, he became the third boxer to win a world crown as a pro fighter in that light flyweight batch of 2010 in the Asian Games. Vic?s brother, Froilan Saludar, will be aiming to follow his footsteps in Qingdao, China when he challenges the tough WBO flyweight champion Sho Kimura of Japan this July 27. If the elder Froilan wins the title, they will become the first Filipino brothers to hold world title simultaneously. * * * The San Antonio Spurs came to an agreement in principle on Kawhi Leonard trading the 2014 NBA Finals MVP to the Toronto Raptors for All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan. Danny Green will also be shipped to Toronto as part of the deal, according to The Associated Press. ESPN also reported that the two teams agreed that the Spurs will acquire Jakob Poeltl and a future first-round draft pick from the Raptors. Leonard played in only nine games for San Antonio last season, as the relationship between him and the team turned sullen and there was skepticism on the way Kawhi treated his recovery from a right leg injury. Leonard can be a free agent next summer, and when he asked the Spurs for a trade weeks ago, it was made clear that he wants to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. It will be a risk for the Raptors to exchange DeRozan for a player who might not stay in Toronto for a long time. * * * June Mar Fajardo keeps flirting with Philippine basketball history. He broke Danny Ildefonso?s more than 15-year-old record for most number of Best Player of the Conference awards. He is now on target as the only player in PBA history to have five MVP awards. As of the end of the ongoing PBA quarterfinals, Fajardo is having a huge lead on average statistical points over the second contender Stanley Pringle. Fajardo has 29.6 average SPs in the Philippine Cup and before the start of the Commissioner?s Cup semifinals. Globalport?s Pringle has 25.3 average SPs while Barangay Ginebra?s Japeth Aguilar is third with 23.6 average SPs. Arwind Santos, the 2013 MVP, is fourth with 23.4 average SPs, while Alex Cabagnotis is fifth with 22.0 average SPs, both are Fajardo's teammates at San Miguel. Fajardo also has the big edge in the race for the Best Player of the Conference award for the ongoing Commissioner?s Cup. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.  |
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