MAGALI RETAINS OPBF CROWN VIA 10TH RND TKO

By LITO DELOS REYES

OPBF super featherweight champion Carlo Magali (right) lands a right to the face of Masatoshi Kotani. (Photos by BOXING MOBILE)

CARLO “The Ferocious” Magali landed powerful combinations to score an 10th round technical knockout against Japanese challenger Masatoshi Kotani to retain his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super featherweight title Saturday night at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Kotani was first knockdown twice by Magali’s solid punches earlier in the 9th round. Japanese referee Yuji Fukuchi finally stopped the fight in the 10th round after Kotani absorbed the powerful combinations
Magali, a native of Bohol improved his record to 30 wins against nine losses and three draws with 12 knockouts while Kotani suffered his only 3rd defeat against 22 wins
“I’m really very happy that I retained my crown in his my first title defense,” said Magali in a Facebook message
His trainer Ninolito Jalnaiz, on the other hand, said: “Our hard training had paid off. “
“Masipag lang talaga mag ensayo si Magali,” said manager Brico Santig of the Highland Boxing Gym in La Trinidad, Benguet.
It was Magali’s first title defense. The 31-year old Boholano won his interim OPBF crown by stopping then-unbeaten Sandeep Balhara via a 10th round technical knockout last July 9 at the Mid Valley Exhibition Center in Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, Rikki Naito stopped another Filipino boxer Jeffrey Arienza by a 9th round TKO to capture the vacant OPBF super lightweight title in the main supporting bout. (LITO DELOS REYES)