Mepranum, Laurente win

DALLAS – Richie Mepranum and Dennis Laurente get their share of the spotlight here Friday evening.

The 22-year-old Mepranum, who was hardly given a chance against Hernan “Tyson” Marquez in their flyweight contest at the Texas Ballroom of the Gaylord Texan Hotel, made heads turn when he scored a hard-earned 10-round decision.

Earlier, Laurente pulled off a win of his own when he outpointed a boxer from Los Angeles, Ben Tackie, in an eight-round welterweight contest.

Mepranum and Laurente trained at the Wild Card Gym in LA.

They did not waste the opportunity given them to shine in their own little way, and must have made Manny Pacquiao happy as he geared up for his own battle Saturday evening at the Cowboys Stadium.

Two more Filipinos will climb the ring in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Clottey bout. They are bantamweight Eden Sonsona who will face Colombia’s Mauricio Pastrana, and featherweight Michael Farenas vs Texan Joe Morales. – Abac Cordero