Pacquiao decks foe, retains title

KIDAPAWAN, North Cotabato — Manny Pacquiao needed only six rounds to stop Thailand’s Wethya Sakmuangklang yesterday and retain his World Boxing Council international super bantamweight crown at the jampacked Kidapawan Provincial Gymnasium here.

A crowd of close to 15,000 got what they came for when Pacquiao landed two powerful body shots that sent the Thai fighter down with barely 18 ticks left in the sixth. The challenger struggled to get up and referee Bruce McTavish of New Zealand stopped the fight.

Pacquiao was hit by a couple of low blows by Sakmuangklang — the first in the fourth round and the second in the fifth. On both occasions, the 22-year-old Filipino was given a five-minute rest by the referee.

"I should have disqualified the Thai for repeated low blows but I think it won’t be good for Pacquiao to win by disqualification," said McTavish after the bout which marked Pacquiao’s fifth defense of the title he won in 1999.

"Matibay din lalo na sa mukha. Kaya nang makita ko na mahina sa bodega ay binomba ko na," said Pacquiao, bound for the US to pursue his career in the hope of winning the world title.

In one of the main supporting bouts, Ernesto Rubillar scored a smashing technical knockout victory over a game but outclassed Somthawin Singwongcha of Thailand to retain his WBC international minimumweight crown.

The end came midway in the fourth round after Ernesto connected with two solid rights to the head and a couple more blows to the left side of the body, leaving the Thai fighter down and out in the neutral corner.

Ernesto’s elder brother Juanito fought next and was just as impressive, stopping Thai rival Fahsang Pow Pongsawang in the 1:01 mark of the sixth round to keep his WBC international lightflyweight title.

Juanito floored his opponent with a crunching left straight early in the sixth round and forced the referee to stop the fight seconds later after landing a vicious right uppercut. It was Juanito’s second win over the same fighter whom he beat via a split decision in 1998.

Also adding spice to Pacquiao’s title bout were brothers Danilo and Arlan Lerio, two of the country’s finest amateur boxers today, who made short work of their respective opponents in a couple of exhibition matches.

Danilo, 20, fighting in the lightfly division, outclassed Franklin Albia of Cebu in their four-round match before Arlan, 24, a bantamweight, posted an equally-convincing victory over Niñolito Jalnaiz after scoring a first-round knockdown.

The Lerio brothers, both veterans of last year’s Sydney Olympics, fought barely 10 days after their successful stints in two tough tournaments in Cuba where Danilo won a silver and Arlan two bronze medals.