Mayol loses but two Pinoys win

Rodel Mayol blew a winning situation, got careless and walked into a vicious right straight to the jaw, crushing his hopes of dethroning IBF lightflyweight champion Ulises (Archie) Solis of Mexico in an eighth round knockout loss at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, last Saturday night (yesterday morning, Manila).

The end came suddenly. As Mayol charged in, Solis unleashed a left jab followed by a right straight that sent the Filipino face down to the canvas. Mayol beat the 10-count but referee John O’Brien waved it off at 1:13 of the round.

In the dressing room after the bout, Mayol was disconsolate as he pondered his future. He had no excuses and knew a little more aggressiveness could’ve turned the tables in the sixth round when Solis was almost out on his feet.

“I never saw the punch,” said Mayol in a long distance phone conversation. “I thought I was ahead by one or two points. Solis was ready to go in the sixth. He was very groggy but I didn’t follow up.”

Mayol said he was beginning to load up for the homestretch when he was clipped.

“I wanted to put pressure on him,” he continued. “I was coming in. Then, he hit me. It was perfect timing. I never expected it. But I didn’t want to be counted out. I stood up.”

Mayol didn’t blame the long period of inactivity caused by a fallout with former Japanese manager Yasuo Matsuoka and instead, pointed to lack of sparmates his size in Los Angeles while training for Solis. He fought only one round in the last 15 months and the rust showed in his reflexes. Mayol wound up with a black right eye.

Mayol and Solis fought on even terms in the early rounds then the Filipino took the initiative in the sixth. After a scorching combination from Mayol, Solis dropped to the canvas but O’Brien ruled it a slip. Solis escaped disaster as the bell came to his rescue. The proud champion came back strong in the eighth despite cuts over both eyes.

Mayol said he’ll discuss his future with business manager Michael Koncz, the Canadian who is one of Manny Pacquiao’s chief advisers. He’s not returning home to Mandaue and will stay in the US to wait for his wife Lira and three-year-old son Eizre Bryce.

“They’re in Manila now,” said Mayol, referring to his family. “They’re applying for US visas. My wife was in Baclaran praying while I fought. Although I lost, God protected me. I’m not hurt. I’ll be back.”

Mayol said the move up to lightflyweight was not a problem. He previously fought in the 105-pound minimumweight division and rose to 108 for the chance to fight Solis. Mayol said he’ll continue to campaign as a lightflyweight and next time, he’ll be more careful fighting a veteran like Solis.

Making up for Mayol’s loss, two Filipinos won impressively in the undercard. Bernabe Concepcion of Virac, Catanduanes, decked Gabriel Elizondo twice en route to scoring a fourth round stoppage to claim the vacant North American Boxing Federation superbantamweight crown while Mandaue’s unbeaten Mercito Gesta, coming off a nearly two-year hiatus, scored a majority six-round decision over Mexico’s Carlos Madrid.

Concepcion, 19, floored Elizondo with a right to the forehead in the third and finished him off with an overhand right to the chin at 2:11 of the fourth. The fatal knockdown was described as “surreal” by ringside reporters as Elizondo went down on a delayed reaction, got up and fell into referee Timmy Adams’ arms.