NERY SURVIVES 1ST ROUND KNOCKDOWN TO WIN WBC SILVER TITLE

Raymond Tabugon (left) decks Mexican Luis Nery in the first round.

MEXICAN Luis “Pantera” Nery survived a first round knockdown to stop Filipino Raymond “Tornado” Tabugon of Sanman Stable in the 4^th round by a technical knockout to win the vacant WBC Silver bantamweight title on Saturday in Chiapas, Mexico.

Nery was downed by a right by Tabugon in the first round but came back strong in the next three rounds. Referee Celestino Castro stopped the fight in 2:42 after seeing Tabugon had enough punishment already from Nery.

“It was the first knockdown suffered by Nery in his career,” said Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude “JC” Manangquil.

Nery, a former WBC Continental Americas bantamweight champion, remained undefeated with 22 straight wins and 16 knockouts while Tabugon suffered his 7^th defeat against 18 wins, 1 draw and 8 knockouts.

The 25-year old Tabugon has already suffered three straight losses all in abroad.

After capturing the vacant Philippine Boxing Federation super flyweight title via a 6^th TKO win over Renante Suacasa last March 8 in T’boli, Tabugon lost by a 5^th round TKO to Makazole Tete in their battle for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental super flyweight crown last July 29 in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Tabugon then went to Mexico to face former WBA super world and WBO world flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada on October 8. Tabugon, however, dropped a unanimous decision.

Meanwhile, two other Sanman fighters also both suffered separate defeats in Japan early this month.

Bantamweight Engelbert “Aguila” Moralde (9-4-0-6) bowed to Kenbun Torres (12-2-0) by a unanimous decision last Dec. 11 at the L-Theatre in Osaka, Japan.

Featherweight Markquil “Gunz” Salvana (11-3-0-5) suffered a UD loss to Takuya Uehara in their battle for the vacant WBC Youth World featherweight title last Dec. 18 at the Mielparque Hall in Osaka.