Little-known Filipino KO artist Edren Dapudong celebrates after his impressive knockout win over WBC No. 1 Jesus Jimenez Saturday night in Tepic, Mexico. Photo by: REY DANSECO
By REY DANSECO
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Edren “Brave-heart” Dapudong of the Philippines might immediately get a world title shot after impressively knocking out WBC No. 1 Jesus “Destroyer” Jimenez in less than two minutes in Tepic, Nayarit Saturday night.
Mexican promoter Hector Garcia of HG Boxing revealed that he will negotiate for Dapudong’s title shot against WBC champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand or newly-crowned WBO titlist Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico.
“Should it would be against Miranda, the bout might takes place sometime August here in Mexico,” said Garcia, who brought Dapudong for a crack against Jimenez for the vacant WBC silver flyweight title fight.
The young Filipino fighter from southern Philippine province of North Cotabato floored the cocky Mexican with a well-timed left hook and quickly finished the fight with flurry of punches until a devastating right hook to the face rocked Jimenez.
The soft-spoken but hard-hitting Filipino, who moved up in weight for the opportunity, quickly pressed the action with left-right combo to the body and Jimenez went down in so much pain.
Jimenez had tried but failed to get on his feet when he crumpled in pain, a situation that shocked the partisan crowd at the Meson de los Deportes inside the Universidad Autonoma de Nayarit.
“It’s easy for Dapudong to fight Miranda because Miranda is my boy,” said Garcia. “But we will see if Dapudong can fight Pongsaklek in mandatory fight in Thailand because the Filipino will become the new (WBC world) number one contender.”
Dapudong recorded his most important victory despite coming to Mexico day before the weigh in from his hometown M’lang with almost a week stay in Manila where he was able to spar at least eight rounds against former WBC flyweight champ Koki Kameda of Japan.
“I came to the fight in Mexico without much knowledge about my opponent’s style,” said Dapudong, who expects to take over Jimenez’s position at No. 1 flyweight contender from No. 13 in light flyweight.
“Thanks to Kameda, he told me my much need hints and pointers about Jimenez’s style and strength because they sparred in Japan prior to his fight against Pongsaklek (Wonjongkam) several months ago in Tokyo,” he added.
Dapudong (23-2, 10 knockouts) earned $15,000 from his effort of making a name for himself in Mexico where there bout televised by television network Televisa.
The setback ended the 15-winning streaks of the pre-fight favorite Jimenez since he suffered his fourth round KO loss to Sinaloa’s Francisco “Panchito” Arce of Los Mochis when he was scheduled for his first 10-round bout way back August 2006 in Mexicali.
Dapudong’s manager, Vice Governor Manny Pinol of North Cotabato, said his fighter prepared for this Mexican debut and first fight outside of his country for only two weeks.
Miranda captured the vacant belt and succeeded Omar Narvaez of Argentina when he shocked “Latino Killer” Richie Mepranum with a TKO in the fifth round last June 12 in Puebla, Mexico. Mepranum was coming off in giving a boxing lesson to previously unbeaten Mexican national champ Hernan “Tyson” Marquez last March in Grapevine, Texas.
Before beating Kameda to become a two-time WBC flyweight king, Wonjongkam beat Miranda over 12 rounds for the interim title in Chachoengsao, Thailand in June 2009.
The 32 year old Thai champ plans to make a tune up fight against Filipino Rey “Delubyo” Megrenio on July 2 in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
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