Monday, July 21, 2008 Morales survives Thai By Edri K. Aznar Sun.Star Staff Reporter
YOUNG rising talent Ciso “Kid Terrible” Morales passed a great test as he disposed Thai brawler Narognoi Or Muankalang in their 12-round World Boxing Organization Oriental title bout at the Cebu Coliseum last Saturday.
Morales started out with crisp jabs to the face of the Thai warrior but the visitor fought back with much stronger haymakers that hurt the Bohol native in the early rounds.
They both exchanged powerful punches in most of the match but both of them never got knocked down.
It was Morales who almost got decked after he got hit by a powerful left hook to the head at the end of the fifth round while he was hitting the Thai with a series of lefts and rights.
Munkalang changed his strategy in 10th round and instead of waiting for Morales to attack him, the Thai got aggressive and traded leathers with Morales until the very last second of the 12th round.
Luckily, Morales did enough in the eyes of the judges to earn a unanimous decision win, 116-112, 115-113 and 118-110.
“This is a good experience for Morales,” said SGG Promotions Sammy Gello-ani.
After this victory, Morales will be defending his crown on Sept. 20 in Lanao del Norte in the undercard for the Gerry Peñalosa-Nestor Rocha battle.
In the main supporting bout, Ranee “KO Kid” Ganoy didn’t take it to the distance as he finished off Sapapetch Sor Sakaorat with a thunderous left hook to the jaw in the 2:34 mark of the 2nd round.
Sakaorat was the aggressor in the beginning of the match landing his punches at Ganoy but unexpectedly in the second round the Thai found himself near the ropes and was hit by a deadly two-punch combination.
Sixth round
One-time world title challenger Bert Batawang also triumphed against Elorde Gym’s Benjie Soralla in a via a sixth round technical decision.
Batawang suffered a deep gash in his right eye after he was hit with an accidental headbutt in the sixth that prompted the referee to stop the match and use the scorecards to determine the winner.
“I will let Bert fight back in the minimum weight division because his body structure is not for the flyweight division,” said Gello-ani. “I’m planning to let him fight for the title against IBF champion Raul Garcia.”
Garcia recently bagged the International Boxing Federation minimum weight title from Florante Condes via a split decision last June 14 in Mexico.
In the undercard, Balweg “Davao Hitman” Bangoyan destroyed Phil Angcamor in a second round KO; Jong Hwa Lee was victorious against Brian Diano via unanimous decision; Jason Layson won against Pol Apolinario via unanimous decision; Marvin “Marvelous” Sonsona decked Jerome Buntog in the fifth round; Jerry Pahal edged Chum “Warrior” Sedillo via unanimous decision; and Arnel Dunal stopped Ariel Baricuatro in the first round.
