Former OPBF lightweight champion Dennis Laurente has won the Pan Asia Boxing Association 135 pound title with a split decision win over Thailand’s Somchai Nakbalee in the central province of Chaiyaphum some 342 kilometers from Bangkok.
The decision came as a surprise to Filipinos who have often been victims of hometown decisions in Thailand and Laurente winning a split decision was welcomed by his manager Johnny Elorde. Two judges scored it for the 29 year old Filipino southpaw by margins of 116-113 and 114-113 while the third judge had Nakbalee the winner 114-113.
Elorde’s wife Liza said she had spoken to her husband after the fight and he told her Laurente won by a split decision because he really beat up his opponent and clearly deserved the victory.
With the win Laurente improved to 25-3-5 with 12 knockouts while Nakbalee dropped to 9-1-1 with 3 knockouts. Nakbalee won the PABA title with an eighth round KO over Fernando Montilla in July 15 last year.
Laurente has had a checkered career winning the vacant OPBF lightweight title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Japan’s Yosuke Otsuka on November 23, 2001 after dropping the Japanese three times. Laurente lost the title in a controversial split decision to another Japanese Chikashi Inada last March 5, 2005. Laurente went after the PABA light welterweight title but failed in his bid, losing a twelve round technical decision to Indonesia’s Daudi Bahari last April 6.
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