Randy Petalcorin (4th from left) is the new International Boxing Federation (IBF) Pan Pacific light-lyweight champion after he scored a unanimous decision win over Arnold Garde in the main event of “Brawl in the Mall” last Saturday in General Santos City. (CONTRIBUTED)
RANDY “Razor” Petalcorin logged his second straight win after absorbing a sorry loss abroad, scoring a unanimous win over Arnold Garde last Sunday in the main event of the “Brawl in the Mall: Return of the Gensan’s Finest” at the Robinson’s Mall Atrium in General Santos City.
Petalcorin, a former world champion, scored a knockdown in the sixth round in a solid performance that netted him the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Pan Pacific light-flyweight title.
Scores were 97-91, 100-88 and 98-90—all for Petalcorin.
IBF supervisor and Games and Amusements Board Commissioner Fritz Gaston was on hand to award the belt to Petalcorin.
The Sanman Boxing Gym stalwart, a former WBA World light flyweight champion, floored Garde with a left straight. Garde then resorted to heavy clinching and was slapped with a one-point deduction in the seventh for a low blow.
The 24-year-old Petalcorin now has 25 wins (18 knockouts), two losses and a draw, while the 26-year-old Garde fell to 7W-3L-2D-4KOS.
Before winning his last two fights, Petalcorin suffered a controversial split decision to Omari Kimweri for the vacant WBC Silver flyweight crown last April 15 in Victoria, Australia.
“Randy wants the IBF world title next year. We are targeting that,” said Petalcorin’s manager Jim Claude Manangquil, chief executive officer of Sanman Promotions.
In the main supporting bout, former WBC International super featherweight champion Eden “Mr. Showboat” Sonsona marked his return from an 18-month layoff with a majority decision win over Jaime Barcelona.
Sonsona, 28, climbed to 35W-6L-2D-12KOs, while Barcelona, the current Minproba featherweight champion, tasted his 61st loss to go with 39 wins and a draw.
Seven other Sanman Boxing Gym fighters, including two new recruits, triumphed in the undercards.
Reymart “Gensan Assassin” Gaballo, John Vincent “Mulawin Moralde and Mike “Magic” Plania posted separate wins before their scheduled training with Cuban trainer Moro Fernandez in Miami, Florida, USA next month.
Gaballo (16W-0L-0D-14 KOs), current WBC Asian Boxing Council super bantamweight champion, stopped Jerson Luzarito (12W-18L-1D-9KOs) via technical knockout 23 seconds into the second round.
Moralde (18W-0L-0D-9 KOs), the reigning World Boxing Federation International featherweight champion, pulled off a first-round knockout win over Joas Aparicio (12W-18L-1D-9 KOs), while Plania (13W-0L-0D-6KOs), the reigning WBF International bantamweight title-holder, knocked out Minproba lightweight champion JP Macadumpis (11W-8L-1D-5KOs) in 28-second of the second round.
Lolito Sonsona and Benjamin Manangquil made successful debuts as Sanman fighters. The younger Sonsona forced Jetly Purisima to quit in the fourth round while Manangquil chalked up a unanimous decision win over Romulo Ramayan.
Romero Duno scored a second-round TKO win over Gabby Simpo, while Jayson “Pitbull” Mama knocked out Jade Yagahon in the 1:14 mark of the opening round.