HE was at it again last week. Thai trickster Amnat Ruenroeng was his usual impish self as he frustrated our very own Johnreil Casimero (21-3, 13KOs)over 12 unwatchable rounds to retain his IBF flyweight crown.
PRECEDENT. This is getting to be a regular thing for Ruenroeng- ruining title hopes of talented, aspiring challengers.
In March of this year, former Chinese Olympic standout Zou Shiming with only 6 pro fights to his name, mistakenly assumed he was ripe for a world title shot.
The old jackal in Ruenroeng gleefully welcomed the young upstart into his lair and proceeded to dismantle him over 12 rounds to handily win a wide unanimous decision with all three judges turning in identical 116-112 tallies.
Before that, in January of last year, ALA gym?s Rocky Fuentes also fell prey to the Thai?s gamesmanship and ring tactics
UGLY. Casimero is a former world champion and a force to be reckoned with, but Ruenroeng?s style did not mesh well with Quadro Alas and the latter lost via unanimous decision.
From the get-go, Ruenroeng kept his left hand down inviting Casimero to wade in so he could tag him with counters.
The Thai champ is able to do this because he is blessed with hand speed, but this is not where the ugly lies.
Ruenroeng isn?t averse to clinching and holding when his opponent comes in and isn?t shy at all about sneaking in a headlock when gets the chance.
Throw in some takedowns and you have a complete Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
On several occasions, , Casimero fell to the canvass off-balanced and it didn?t help his cause when referee Larry Dogett dubiously ruled them as legitimate knockdowns.
Angry and frustrated, Casimero rallied in the final rounds, but his valiant efforts proved to be inadequate.
There?s a fine line between gamesmanship and dirty fighting and Amnat is a master at exploiting that diaphanous distinction.
Amnat isn?t much of a puncher. With only 5 stoppages in 16 fights, he can?t punch his way out of a paperbag.
But he?ll use his dynamic speed to frustrate you, make you miss and look bad.
He?s actually an Olympian, and advanced as far as the quarterfinals in the 2008 Beijing games.
He actually had a late start as he turned pro only in 2012.
Future opponents, beware. He?s Asia?s version of Paulie Malignaggi and he?s here to ruin you.
VERBATIM. ? They couldn?t figure Amnan out. They couldn?t solve the problem.?–Aljoe Jaro, Filipino trainer of Ruenroeng (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
LAST ROUNDS. Are on my kumpare Stephen Villamor of Step V Trading and daughter Amor who are celebrating their birthdays this week. Cheers! ([email protected])
