Pael knocks out Echavez, wins PBF title in Siquijor

LAZI, SIQUIJOR—Rajah Renoel Pael won by seventh round knockout against Roger Echavez in the main event of a fight card held last Thursday (May 10) in Lazi, Siquijor.

Echavez’s awkward southpaw style gave Pael trouble early in the fight. The action heat up in the third round as both boxers traded wild hooks. In the 4th, Pael unloaded a sharp one-two combo that sent Echavez down.

Echavez managed to get up and fight back but he looked spent at the end of the sixth. In the seventh round, a crisp right hook from Pael drove Echavez flat on his back prompting referee Ben Necesario to end the fight at the 57-second mark.

Pael fought under the banner of the Princesa Bulakna Resort of Siquijor. He won the flyweight division on GMA TV’s “Buhay Boksingero” boxing series held last year.

It was decided by the PBF and RWS Promotions earlier this week that Pael and Echavez would fight for the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) bantamweight belt and the fight between Fernando Ocon and Aroel Romasasa held in San Fernando, Cebu would be for the PBF flyweight title. Ocon beat Romasasa by 9th round TKO on the same night.

In the supporting bouts, Rogen Flores knocked Roldan Malinao down thrice and won by 4th round TKO. Referee Nick Banal stopped the contest when Malinao collapsed after receiving a fusillade of body punches.

Alvin Arresgado of Siquijor gave his hometown fans another reason to cheer when he won by TKO in the 3rd round over Ian Panganiban of Siaton, Neg. Oriental.

There were two exhibition bouts between Bryan Samson of Siquijor vs. Gerry Castroverde of the RSW Gym and TI Yamagata Masashi of Japan vs. Ardie Boyose of the TI Cebu Stable.

The event was opened by four amateur bouts featuring amateur boxers from Siquijor. The pro bouts were supervised by Celso Miranda of GAB-Cebu. /correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr.