UNBEATEN Filipino super flyweight fighter Karlo Maquinto (8-0-1, 6 KOs) passed away while in comatose six days after his gutsy performance before a jampacked crowd at Recom Gym in Amparo Subdivision, Caloocan City, near Manila in the Philippines.

Maquinto, 21, died due to acute subdural hematoma at 10:15 a.m. on Friday (Thursday night in Mexico City) at the Intensive Care Unit of Far Eastern University-NRMF Hospital in Fairview, Quezon City.

KARLO MAQUINTO recorded 8-0-1, 6 KOs in his one year boxing career

The 5-foot-5 orthodox fighter went down twice from the equally fearless Mark Joseph Costa (4-4-1, 1 KO) in the second round but immediately got on his feet in those occasions and fought his way in keeping his unbeaten record after winning all his professional bouts last year. The verdict was majority draw.

After ring announcer Boy Villanera announced the two judges scored the fight with identical 75 draws while the third official had Costa winner by a point, 74-75, Maquinto embraced Costa and then collapsed.

The young native of Barangay Maribong in Lambunao, Iloilo province in Central Philippines was immediately brought to San Lorenzo General Hospital in Lagro then the FEU-NRMF.

Maquinto, without oxygen and neck-brace support, was conscious and responsive while in the ambulance but slowly slipped into a deep comatose state.

Attending physician Dr. Vic Chua declared the patient was in critical condition since the time of his arrival.

Aside from Chua, neurosurgeon Dr. Rhoby Orata, neurologist Dr. Grace De Guzman monitored closely Maquinto from Saturday night when he was accepted. But the clot and swelling in the brain forces them refrain from head operation.

The neurologist advised Maquinto’s situation from day one was inoperable condition and his brain will just pop out once they tried to drain the blood because of the pressure from the clot.

Maquinto’s mother Marjorie, brother Arnold and sister Vergie were there at his side when he died.

This is Karlo Maquinto after the bout

GERRY PENALOSA’S 13TH BOXING EVENT

The boxing show was the first for this year and 13th event overall under former WBC super flyweight champion Gerry Penalosa’s GerryPens Promotions since 2008.

Penalosa staged nine shows last year in the Visayas and Mindanao islands. It was just his third installations in Luzon after staging two boxfests in Mandaluyong City in his debut as promoter in 2008 and then 2010.

Maquinto dreamed to become a WBC world champion like his idol Manny Pacquiao, who took the gold and green title belts in flyweight, super featherweight, lightweight, junior middleweight and the first ever special WBC Diamond championship belt.

Under the guidance of his manager Anson Tiu Co and  trainers Marvin Somodio and Jeff Linay, Maquinto trained at the the same gym Pacquiao usually kicks off his training, the Shape-Up Gym in the Cooyeesan Hotel Plaza in the high altitude Baguio City.

Maquinto made his debut at the age of 21 years in January 19 last year. He won his first four bouts inside three rounds, figured in back-to-back unanimous decision wins and ended the year with third and fifth round TKOs, respectively.

2ND CASUALTY IN 10 YEARS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Maquinto’s the first casualty in boxing-related death in the Philippines in 10 years since super bantamweight Manuel Zayas died with the same caused in 2002 in Paniqui, Tarlac. He was also 21-year old at that time.

Zayas’s final bout was a slam-bang affair with former Philippine champion Alex Escaner, until three devastating blows floored him. But, despite the rubbery legs, he was able to beat the 8-count.

The referee stopped the contest at that point and Zayas complained of dizziness and went into coma. He died five days later at the hospital.

Before Maquinto, the latest case of ring death of Filipino boxer happened in Bangkok, Thailand in 2007.

Fought without permission from the Philippine Games and Amusement Board (GAB), Lito Sisnorio (10-6-1, 3 KOs) was knockout in the fourth round by former WBC flyweight king Chatchai Sasakul (53-6) and died the following day at Bangkok’s Piyamin hospital.

Although Sisnorio briefly ruled the WBC Youth World flyweight title after beating Fahpetchnoi Sor Chitpattana with TKO in May 2006, prior to Sasakul’s bout, he faltered three fights in a row, including when he lost his title with unanimous decision and the fourth round TKO to WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in their non-title bout.

FULL RESULTS OF THE CARD (Jan. 28, 2012)

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Rey Dansecois the Boxing Judge of the Year 2010 in the Philippines at the 11th Gabriel ”Flash” Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards-Banquet of Champions in March 2011. Aside from being one of the most active boxing judges from Asia, he is the Sports editor of one of the Philippine leading newspapers called Bagong Tiktik (Spy) and television boxing commentator.

EMAIL: reydanseco@yahoo.com