The Philippines Jhunriel Ramonal was knocked out by WBC silver lightweight champion Alejandro Sanabria in the 4th round of Sanabria?s first title defense in Chihuahua, Mexico, yesterday.
Referee Rocky Burke counted out the hapless Filipino after he was dropped in the round by the bigger and stronger Mexican at 2:15 of the round.
The Manila Standard had earlier raised the issue of a mismatch with Games and Amusements Board commissioner Aquil Tamano pointing out that Ramonal was a super bantamweight and Sanabria a lightweight . The weight difference was evident even at the official weigh-in when Ramonal came in at 131 pounds while Sanabria weighed the 135 limit with the real possibility of stretching the difference by fight time.
Sanabria won the vacant Silver title with a 5th round knockout of the expetienced Vinvin Rufino (30-14-3, 14 KO?s) last December 3, 2011 . Earlier on he wonnthe vacant WBC Continental Americas super featherweight title with a twelve round decision over tough Rocky Juarez a perennial world title challenger.
Ramonal won the Philippine super bantamweight title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Rnel Suco on September 16, 2011 after dropping a split decision in an battle for the vacant Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation title against Hiromasa Ohashi of Japan on March 27 last year.
We raised our concern over the Sanabria-Ramonal title fight with the Philippine Games and Amusements Board considering the difference in both the fighters records, quality of opponents and experience as well as the fact that Ramonal, a super bantamweight will be moving up two weight divisions to fight Sanabria, an accomplished world-rated lightweight while Ramonal is not rated at all by the WBC.
Commissioner Tamano told us the ?problem is Ramonal is the current Philippine bantamweight champion and in his last fight in Japan he lost by split decision in an OPBF title fight. ?
Tamano conceded the weight difference is a serious issue.
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