PIALA STUNS LAAYIBIEKE, OWAN STOPS KANG IN BLOODY RING WAR
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By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES – Rodex Piala (11-1, 1KO) gave hometown fans a reason to cheer with a scrappy hard fought victory against China’s Yeerjialahasi Laayibieke (10-3, 7KO’s) in their battle for the WBO Oriental junior lightweight title.
It was a come from behind win of sorts as the bigger Laayibieke muscled his way early into landing head and body shots. Piala’s game plan was to use speed, lateral movement and well-timed counters. Laayibieke’s shots did not land as hard as they should and in the second half of the fight, Piala was getting more comfortable , finding his range and the Chinese was now fighting with blood pouring from his nose.
The ring physician had to check on Laayibieke in between rounds to see if his nose wasn’t broken. Piala sealed the deal in the twelfth and final round when he knocked down Laayibieke, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The scores – judges Efren Puerta – 116-111, Noel Flores – 117-110, Rafael Osumo – 115-112 all for Piala, who avenged the loss of his fellow Filipino, Virgil Vitor, who lost to Laayibieke in five rounds last year in Bohol.
In an early fight of the year candidate, Japanese Ryuto Owan (14-2, 9KO’s) dethroned Jong Seon Kang Kang (20-2-2, 11KO’s), of South Korea for the WBO Global featherweight title. It was an action packed and dramatic fight. The protagonists engaged in fiery close quarter hand to hand combat and traded knockdowns; Owan suffered a flash knockdown in the fourth and in the seventh, Kang, who was as fighting with a bloodied nose and swollen cheeks, was sent tumbling down but Kang got back up and once again caught Owan coming in for another flash knockdown. In the ninth, Kang was sent back to the ropes and received a hail of unanswered punches prompting referee Surat Soikranchang of Thailand to call a halt to the bout.
Time 2:59 of the ninth round. Kang was attended to by medical personnel at ringside after the fight.
Genesis Servania’s homecoming fight did not have a happy ending. Servania (35-5,16KO’s) last fought on Philippine shores in 2018. He is a former world title challenger and had a big fan base when he was one of the headliners for the now defunct ALA Promotions. He started strong against China’s Aketelieti Yelejian (10-4-1, 3KO’s), and showed his old form in the first couple of rounds. But as the rounds progressed, it was evident he was just a shell of his old self, and eventually referee Jerrold Tomeldan had to step in and stop the fight at 2:55 of the tenth, with Servania no longer punching back. Yelejian was awarded the WBO Oriental welterweight belt.
For the undercards , two time world title holder Vic Saludar stopped Roldan Sasan with a hard body shot in the fourth round of a non-title contest. Saludar is currently the number one ranked contender in the 105 lb division of the WBO. Blue chip prospect Alexander ‘Showtime’ Fredriksson from Sweden, who has Filipino roots, had his second straight opening round stoppage against Reymund Empic. Last December , Fredriksson stopped Jubmark Pan in the first round in his pro debut.
Rounding up the preliminary contests - Jason Balajadia decked Vergel Diguma with body shots in the first, Rafie Jamero vs Yulie Hindoy and debutants Trestan Jay Racho vs Aubrey Silot both ended in draws. This card held at the NuStar Resort and Casino is the inaugural promotion of Dr. Winley dela Fuente.
Photo – Rodex Piala celebrates inside the ring after his dramatic victory.
CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES – Rodex Piala (11-1, 1KO) gave hometown fans a reason to cheer with a scrappy hard fought victory against China’s Yeerjialahasi Laayibieke (10-3, 7KO’s) in their battle for the WBO Oriental junior lightweight title.
It was a come from behind win of sorts as the bigger Laayibieke muscled his way early into landing head and body shots. Piala’s game plan was to use speed, lateral movement and well-timed counters. Laayibieke’s shots did not land as hard as they should and in the second half of the fight, Piala was getting more comfortable , finding his range and the Chinese was now fighting with blood pouring from his nose.
The ring physician had to check on Laayibieke in between rounds to see if his nose wasn’t broken. Piala sealed the deal in the twelfth and final round when he knocked down Laayibieke, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The scores – judges Efren Puerta – 116-111, Noel Flores – 117-110, Rafael Osumo – 115-112 all for Piala, who avenged the loss of his fellow Filipino, Virgil Vitor, who lost to Laayibieke in five rounds last year in Bohol.
In an early fight of the year candidate, Japanese Ryuto Owan (14-2, 9KO’s) dethroned Jong Seon Kang Kang (20-2-2, 11KO’s), of South Korea for the WBO Global featherweight title. It was an action packed and dramatic fight. The protagonists engaged in fiery close quarter hand to hand combat and traded knockdowns; Owan suffered a flash knockdown in the fourth and in the seventh, Kang, who was as fighting with a bloodied nose and swollen cheeks, was sent tumbling down but Kang got back up and once again caught Owan coming in for another flash knockdown. In the ninth, Kang was sent back to the ropes and received a hail of unanswered punches prompting referee Surat Soikranchang of Thailand to call a halt to the bout.
Time 2:59 of the ninth round. Kang was attended to by medical personnel at ringside after the fight.
Genesis Servania’s homecoming fight did not have a happy ending. Servania (35-5,16KO’s) last fought on Philippine shores in 2018. He is a former world title challenger and had a big fan base when he was one of the headliners for the now defunct ALA Promotions. He started strong against China’s Aketelieti Yelejian (10-4-1, 3KO’s), and showed his old form in the first couple of rounds. But as the rounds progressed, it was evident he was just a shell of his old self, and eventually referee Jerrold Tomeldan had to step in and stop the fight at 2:55 of the tenth, with Servania no longer punching back. Yelejian was awarded the WBO Oriental welterweight belt.
For the undercards , two time world title holder Vic Saludar stopped Roldan Sasan with a hard body shot in the fourth round of a non-title contest. Saludar is currently the number one ranked contender in the 105 lb division of the WBO. Blue chip prospect Alexander ‘Showtime’ Fredriksson from Sweden, who has Filipino roots, had his second straight opening round stoppage against Reymund Empic. Last December , Fredriksson stopped Jubmark Pan in the first round in his pro debut.
Rounding up the preliminary contests - Jason Balajadia decked Vergel Diguma with body shots in the first, Rafie Jamero vs Yulie Hindoy and debutants Trestan Jay Racho vs Aubrey Silot both ended in draws. This card held at the NuStar Resort and Casino is the inaugural promotion of Dr. Winley dela Fuente.
Photo – Rodex Piala celebrates inside the ring after his dramatic victory.