By REY DANSECO
- Promoter Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr poses with (L-R) Jonathan Tacuning, Ryan Bito, Silvester Lopez and Warlito Parrenas after they talked about the Triple WBC International title bouts before Filipino sports reporters at the PSA Forum in Manila, Philippines.
FOUR Filipino fighters and two Thais are set to clash on July 31 (July 30 in Mexico) at the Ynares Sports Arena along William J. Shaw Boulevard in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines in their bids to get shots at world titles.
Silvester Lopez, Ryan Bito, Warlito Parrenas and Jonathan Tacuning all of the Philippines headline a triple main event where three World Boxing Council International titles are up for grabs.
The WBC No. 5 contender Lopez risks his WBC International super-flyweight crown against veteran Wandee Singwangcha of Thailand, while Bito challenges another Thai in WBC International flyweight champion Sooksan Caichan Sanmuangloie in the boxing card promoted by Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr of Elorde International Productions in coordination with Gov. Casimiro Ynares III and socks maker Burlington.
In an all-Filipino championship, Parrenas, a former Filipino amateur boxing standout, and Tacuning, one of favorite sparmates before and after Japanese Koki Kameda won and lose the WBC flyweight title, collide for the vacant WBC International light flyweight title belt.
Previously, WBC International title fights only featured boxers ranked 11th and below, a ruling later modified by the 47-year-old boxing body.
“There’s always a great result in WBC, because Mr. (Jose) Sulaiman (WBC president) always makes it a point that winners in WBC International title fights be given the chance to challenge for a regular world title,” Elorde said in a press conference called PSA Forum at Shakey’s on UN Avenue in Manila to promote the boxfest.
The 22 year old Lopez has the toughest opponent in Singwangcha, a former WBC International light flyweight champion and two-division WBC interim world champion.
The 30 year old Thai has 31-1 record against Filipinos and overall has won 63 of his 75 fights, 15 of them by knockout, 11 loses and has one draw. Two of his losses were dealt by Filipino Marvin Sonsona and Australia-based Armenian Vic Darchinyan, the reigning WBC super flyweight titlist.
“It’s hard to predict because he’s (Singwangcha) also good, so I’ll just do whatever I can,” said Lopez, who has started his career in Oct. 2006, the same month when Singwangcha did not made the 108lb weight and was stripped of the WBC Light Flyweight Interim title but won in a unanimous decision against Munetsugu Kayo in Tokyo. The Thai won that title against Lopez’s stablemate Juanito Rubillar.
Lopez (13-2, 9 KOs) will make his second title defense since taking the vacant WBC International crown against previously unbeaten Korean national champ Jong-Nam Park in April of last year with TKO in round 8. Park was floored three times in round 1 and one time in round 8.
“The Thais punch harder, but the Filipinos are smarter. That’s our advantage against them going into these fights,” Elorde said.
Sanmuangloie, 24 year old like Bito, will make his second title defense. He won the vacant and defended it against Indonesians, Bayu Anggoro and Eric Diaz Siregar, respectively last year.
Currently, the Thai champ, who also uses the name of his stable “Kokietgym” as his surname, is ranked No. 31. His correct fight record is not yet available as of press time, but Kokietgym reported he has 20-2, 15 KOs.
The WBO ranked Bito (17-6-3, 5 K0s) as one of their best top 10 minimumweight boxers until they stripped his WBO Inter-Continental minimumweight title for failure of defending it in required time.
Parrenas represented the Philippines in many international tournaments in Asia and Europe. A 7-time national champion in the Philippines, Parrenas took the flyweight gold medal in the Southeast Asian Amateur Boxing Championships in Vietnam in 2005.
The 168cm Parrenas (12-4, 10 KOs) is a religious man and a happily married father of two beautiful children.
Tacuning is a strong fighter from Elorde’s younger brother Johnny Elorde’s stable. He served as the chief sparmate of Kameda in the Philippines and Tokyo, Japan.
The Thai delegation is expected to reach Manila from Bangkok on July 26.
This card was previously set on July 10 and July 17 until it’s finalized on July 31 with approval of the respected WBC International championship chairman and WBC ratings committee member Mauro Betti of Italy.
The event will be televised over Solar TV (RPN 9) in the Philippines on Aug. 2 (Monday) 2:00-4:00pm with replays over Solar Sports cable channels on Aug. 3 (Tuesday) 7:00-9:00pm and Aug. 6 (Thursday) 10:00am-12:00 noon.
This event will also be historic being the first Philippine boxing show that will be telecast live world wide via wbcboxing.tv. Airing time will be 7 pm (Philippine time) and 6pm (central Mexican standard time on July 30)
Elorde holds the world record as the first and only promoter who stages three WBC International title bouts. He matches his record during the time he revived the career and promoted Manny Pacquiao’s fights for the vacant WBC International super bantamweight title in 1999 and several defenses before the Pacman won the IBF title in 2001.
the reporter’s email address reydanseco@yahoo.com
- Sanmuangloei: To put the flyweight title against Ryan Bito
- Wandee: Wants to become WBC International champ again
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