TAGUIG CITY – People’s featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao last night decked Thai Fahsan 3K Battery thrice enroute to a fourth round knockout victory before thousands of screaming Filipino fans at the open air Fort Bonifacio Global City.
Pacquiao thus formally sealed his eagerly-awaited rematch with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez set for February 26 next year.
“Itong panalo kung ito ay inaalay ko sa mga naapektuhan ng bagyo.Nakikiramay ako sa kanila,” said Pacquiao after posting his 31th win by knockout and 39th overall in 43 pro fights dotted with two defeats and two draws.
Pacquiao knocked down Fahsan in the second round and then twice in the fourth round, finishing off the Thai warrior with an array of telling blows capped by a left uppercut to the chin that sent the hapless visitor clear off the canvass before crumpling down on his back at 1:26 into the round.
The referee did not bother to count but instead waived off Pacquiao, signalling the end of the fight.
Pacquiao, who will be turning 27 on December 17, will face Marquez in an HBO-televised fight card in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two fighters fought to a controversial split draw in their May 8 encounter also in Las Vegas.
In the undercard, ALA super flyweight standout Z “The Dream” Gorres showed flashes of brilliance, knocking down iron-jawed Thai Chaiyong Distar in the second and fifth rounds enroute to pounding out a lopsided unanimous decision in one of the most applauded fights of the night.
“My opponent was really very tough.I caught him with several solid shots but I couldn’t just finish him off. Despite that, I’m still happy with my performance.I’m in top condition and my confidence level is very high,” said Gorres, who improved to 18-1-1 with 10kos.
Gorres sneaked in a right jab-left straight combination that sent Distar dolwn on both knees midway in the opening session.The Cebuano fighter continued to pummel the hapless visitor with a fusillade of heavy blows to the head and body until he floored his opponent again with another powerful left in the fifth round.
It was an all-Gorres show from thereon and when the dust settled, the Thai was complete mess and could hardly see due to a badly swollen face.
The biggest shocker of the night however came when Joebar Damosmog scored a stunning first round knockout of RP super bantamweight champion Reynald Tribo.
A host of politicians, sports personalities and celebrities attended the biggest fight in the Philippines since Pacquiao’s IBF super bantamweight title defense two years ago in Davao City when he knocked out Thai Fahprakorb Rakkiat Gym in just one round.
Among them were Vice President Noli de Castro, Sens. Mar Roxas III and Richard Gordon, Speaker Jose de Venecia, presidential son and Pampanga Gov. Mike Arroyo, Govs, Chavit Singson (Ilosos Sur) Asyong Maliksi (Cavite) and Nene Ynares (Antipolo).
