FILIPINO Rodel Mayol failed in his bid to regain for the country the world light-flyweight crown.
The 25-year-old Mayol absorbed a painful eighth-round technical knockout (TKO) loss to defending champion Ulises Solis of Mexico in their 12-round International Boxing Federation (IBF) world light-flyweight title fight yesterday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
The Mandaue native had a decent start as he showed a more polished defense by moving his head from side to side and avoided Solis’s vaunted left jabs and combinations.
Solis, however, started to work on Mayol’s body by the third round that forced the Filipino to change tactics by trying to exchange blows with the Mexican champion.
“Don’t try to overpower him. Double up your jab,” was what trainer Kenny Adams told Mayol during the break in between Rounds 3 and 4.
Mayol seemed to have regained his focus and followed their game plan to the letter in the fourth round as he was able to hit Solis with telling shots to the body and punctuated the round with a solid two-punch combination.
Solis started out well in the sixth round and hurt Mayol with uppercuts and left hooks, before the game the Filipino unleashed a roundhouse left that shook the Mexican who fell on his knees.
Referee John O’Brien, however, declared the fall a slip, denying Mayol of what could have been an inspiring 10-8 round.
Picking up from where he left off, Mayol connected more blows to Solis in the sixth canto but the Mexican proved to be a worthy champion as he was able to turn the tide to his favor with one perfectly-timed left just below the Filipino’s right rib.
Although Mayol stood pat on his ground from that punch, it was obvious that the blow hurt him seriously as he momentarily grimaced and backed up a bit.
Solis, however, took his time and worked patiently up to the middle of the eighth frame by being prudent with his attacks until a slight opening on Mayol’s defense gave the Mexican an opportunity to unleash a smashing overhand right that hit the Filipino smack on the jaw.
Mayol, who fell face first from that vicious shot, was able to get up but was obviously wobbly, forcing the ref to end the fight at 1:13 of the eighth round.
The Philippines once held the IBF 108-lb belt which Tacy Macalos took away from Korean Choi Jum Hwan via unanimous decision on November 4, 1988 at the Araneta Coliseum. Macalos, however, lost the crown in his first defense against Thai legend Muangchai Kittikasem six months later in Bangkok.
Solis improves to 25-1-2 with 19 KOs while Mayol’s fell to 23-2 with 18 KOs.
Bernabe Concepcion eased the pain caused by Mayol’s loss by scoring an equally pulsating one-punch, fourth-round knockout victory over American Gabriel Elizondo in the undercard.
According to Canadian agent Mike Koncz, Top Rank chief Bob Arum enjoyed what he saw in Concepcion and plans to include the 19-year-old prized find from Catanduanes in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Marco Antonio Barrera rematch on October 6.
Another Filipino, Mercito Gesta, won via a six-round majority decision over Mexican Carlos Madrid.
