LOBETANIA TKOS CHIBA IN ROUND 4 IN TOKYO

By LITO DELOS REYES

TEAM HIGHLAND (Left to right) Manager Brico Santig, ABF flyweight champion Jeronil Borres, Brian Lobetania and trainer Ninolito Jalnaiz.

Brian Lobetania (right) and Kai Chiba in a fighting pose. (Photo by BRICO SANTIG)

FILIPINO Brian “Buhawi” Lobetania shocked the boxing fans at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan when he pummeled to submission crowd-favorite Kai Chiba with a technical knockout in Round 4 last Saturday night.
A whooping left overhang by Lobetania downed Chiba, who was no longer allowed by American referee Biney Martin to continue to fight after standing up.
Chiba, ranked no. 10 bantamweight contender by the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) was also downed by Lobetania in the dying minutes of the 3rd round. He was hit also by Lobetania’s solid overhang punches but was saved by the bell.
“Masayang masaya po ako sa aking panalo (I’m really very happy of my victory),” said Lobetania, ranked OPBF Silver bantamweight No. 10 contender from Pangantucan, Bukidnon.
Lobetania was also hit by Chiba’s jabs and body shots but still continued to attack the Japanese starting in the second round.
“”Nagbunga din yun sikap at pagod sa training namin sa Highland,” said Lobetania, who sparred with his stablemate Jelbirt Gomera, newly-crowned interim OPBF featherweight champion from General Santos City.
The 26-year old Lobetania was accompanied by manager Brico Santig and trainer Ninolito Jalnaiz of the Highland Boxing Gym from La Trinidad, Benguet.
The other Filipino fighter in the same card Jeronil “El Diamante” Borres, however, lost by a disappointing first round knockout to Japanese Junto Nakatani in their non-title 8-rounder bout.
The 20-year old Nakatani remained unbeaten with 14 straight wins and 11 by knockouts, while Borres, reigning Asian Boxing Federation (ABF) flyweight champion, dropped to 8 wins with 5 knockouts, 4 losses and 1 draw.