Santillan captures OPBF title

CEBU — Knockout artist Rev Santillan floored Sukhyun Yun twice but couldn’t finish off the durable Korean and settled for a split 12-round decision to wrest the Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) welterweight crown before a sellout crowd at the swank five-star Waterfront Hotel ballroom in Lahug here Friday night.

Santillan, who never went beyond seven rounds in 12 previous bouts, was forced to go the distance in surviving the toughest opponent in his career.

Yun, bloodied and battered, refused to be counted out. He went down for a mandatory eight-count on a left uppercut in the fifth and fell once more in the seventh but battled back to dominate the last three rounds as Santillan lost steam down the stretch.

Not even a bulldozer could stop the plodding Yun from his tireless attack. While he lacked power in his punches, the Korean — a non-stop, robot-like fighting machine — tried to wear down the 5-10 1/2, long-armed Santillan but ran out of time.

Scoring referee Bruce McTavish saw it 114-111 and judge Luciano Babiera, 113-109, both for Santillan. Korean judge Kim Jae Kun had it 113-111 for the 28-year-old Yun. The STAR scored it 113-111 for Santillan. Both fighters were slapped a point deduction for accidental headbutting.

Santillan, the sixth of seven children born to poor farmers, celebrated in his dressing room with his mother, Adela, brother Rodel, cousin Rio Garcia, trainers Pacing and Brix Flores, and a horde of supporters. The lanky Tommy Hearns fight-alike admitted nearly giving up in the late going but was determined to finish the bout on his feet. Santillan, 23, said he will rest in his Jaro, Iloilo, hometown for two weeks before returning to the gym.

The win raised Santillan’s record to 13-0, with 10 KOs. Yun’s record fell to 21-12, with 11 KOs.

Over 3,000 fans packed the Waterfront venue, paying tickets of P1,000 — including a P450-value steak dinner — and P300 in Cebu’s first-ever pro boxing ballroom card. In 1989, the Cebu Plaza Hotel staged a ballroom boxing card but showcased only amateur fighters.

Promoter Rex (Wakee) Salud paid Yun a purse of $10,000 and Santillan, P80,000. Waterfront Hotel manager Patrick Gregorio lauded Salud’s effort in bringing boxing back in the limelight here.

Salud’s star-studded stable includes World Boxing Council flyweight titlist Malcolm Tunacao and Santillan.

In other fights, Philippine junior lightweight champion Randy Suico, stopped Dante Paulino at 0:32 of the 8th to retain his crown and Jovan Presbitero retained his Philippine junior flyweight title on a unanimous 12-round decision over Roger Jack Maldecir.