Filipino pug Ernie Sanchez loses OPBF title bout, wins respect in Japan

Ernie Sanchez took all the what Japanese champion Masayuki Ito could offer and was fighting to the end when the referee stopped the fight in the 11^th round, declaring a TKO win for the Japanese champion.

Sanchez gamely fought but Ito proved to be the more aggressive and landed many shots, especially in the fateful 11^th round en route to a TKO win in their title bout for the Orient Pacific Boxing Federation superfeatherweight title at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Too far behind in the scorecards in the first 10 rounds, the Filipino challenger was about to give it all in the final two rounds but the referee stopped the bout in 1 minute and 32 seconds of the penultimate round following Ito’s barrage of punches to the head of Sanchez.

They weren’t really telling blows as Sanchez remained on the defensive but the referee saw that the Filipino has had enough punishment since the early rounds and ruled the stoppage in favor of Ito, who has successfully defended his OPBF title for the second time.

Sanchez’ corner Jericho Asilo questioned what he thought was a premature stoppage and the referee responded by motioning that Sanchez had taken so many head blows already.

Later at the dugout, Asilo said that Sanchez could take the champion’s punch and was still in the thick of the fight.

“Palaban na kami the last two rounds and Sanchez, was looking for that one-big punch to score a knockout. But that was it, the referee was just after the safety of the fighters that’s why he made that hasty decision,” said Asilo.

But he still maintained that Sanchez had a big chance to reverse the tide in the final two rounds.

http://sportsillustrated.com.ph/FightSports/2016/07/29/Filipino-pug-loses-bout-wins-respect-in-Japan