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Philippines, 21 Feb 2026 |
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SUICO LINED UP TO FIGHT FUNEKA By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Thu, 22 Nov 2007  OPBF lightweight champion Randy Suico and WBC Intercontinental champion Ali ?Rush Hour? Funeka of South Africa are being lined up for what promises to be an exciting showdown early next year with the winner likely to fight in an eliminator for the world title currently held by David Diaz. Well-known promoter Branco Malenkovic told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that he was ?interested very much to proceed with the Funeka-Suico fight.? Malenkovic indicated ?I don?t see any problem in doing a deal? with Suico?s manager, Japanese matchmaker, TV commentator and boxing writer Joe Koizumi and respected businessman-sportsman Akihiko Honda all of whom were in Manila for the recent WBC Annual convention. In fact the WBC approved a title eliminator featuring the winner of the Suico-Fana bout during its Manila meeting. Malenkovic recalled that Suico had ?a great fight against (Mzonke) Fana the current IBF super featherweight champion in May 2004 which, according to the prominent promoter was voted ?Fight of the Year? in South Africa. Suico dropped Fana twice and had him reeling across the ring in the final round but still lost what was regarded as a controversial split decision. Malenkovic said ?people would like to see him (Suico) back in action in South Africa " against Funeka who is the Intercontinental champion with a record of 29-1-2 with 24 knockouts. The 27 year old Suico has a record of 27-3 with 23 knockouts. Suico won the OPBF lightweight title with a fourth round TKO over Pongpetch Chuwatana of Thailand and successfully defended it last August 25 with an eighth round TKO over Japan?s Koji Samejima. Funeka won the vacant WBC Intercontinental title with a second round KO of Filipino Dexter Delada and in his last fight on September 23 scored a fourth round TKO over a badly outclassed JR Sollano who, like Delada, was from the Rex ?Wakee? Salud stable. Funeka is ranked No. 5 by the WBC, WBA and IBF while Suico is No. 7 in the WBC rankings, No. 11 in the WBA and No. 6 in the IBF. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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