PRESS RELEASE: Rexon Flores, 14-2-4 with 8 KOs, took a strong step forward in his bid for a WBO flyweight title shot by stopping Acasio Simbajon before round six start of their rematch Sunday night. In their first bout, Simbajon suffered a nasty two-inch cut over his head from an accidental headbutt that caused a technical draw back in August. This time, the 22 year-old Flores wore down the 53-fight veteran Simbajon with power shots in every round, forcing Simbajon to retire on his stool after a punishing fifth round.
“Slowly but surely, I chopped him down like a thick log. And I knew there was no way for him to win as long I controlled the fight with quality combinations,” said Flores, who is rated WBO #4, holds a regional title and hopes to face WBO flyweight champion Omar Narvaez of Argentina soon. Meanwhile, Simbajon is listed as 11-31-5 but apparently has some additional undocumented bouts.
On the undercard, Ronilo Sermona improved to 3-1, with all wins by knockout, after stopping slick punching Marlon Malacao with two lefts and right hooks at 48 seconds of the third of the scheduled four-round flyweight fight.
Benny Palen (2-0, 2 KOs) scored a technical knockout at the end of round three when the exhausted Ferdie Zagado (18-16, 4 KOs) refused to come out for the fourth and final round of their super featherweight clash.
A cut on the left eyebrow of junior lightweight Ruel Santos (0-2-1) resulting from an accidental headbutt by newcomer Noel Basto (0-0-1) decided the fight as a technical draw at 2:11 of the opening round.
In another exciting bout, Filipina counter-fighter Mel Braguda and China’s multi-medallist boxer Ding Jin fought to a draw on Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. card at the Grand Flash Ballroom of Elorde Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque City, Philippines. The fight at 120-pound limit was originally scheduled for five rounds, but cut into three with two minutes each as amateur rules, and both women wore headgear. The 5-foot-2 Braguda, who was born in Sampaloc in Manila but now stays in Muntinlupa quickly crowded the five-inch taller Chinese in the opening bell although Jin landed cleaner punches. Braguda, a 32-year old mother of a girl named Estelle from her American husband, used to weigh 180-pound but was able to lose more than 60 lbs in just seven months of rigorous training at Elorde Gym.
