No sweep for Omega after Mangubat loses WBC silver feather belt to Baconaje

Arnel “Silencer” Baconaje of Pasay City pins Tomjone “Wardog” Mangubat to the ropes in their World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia Silver Featherweight match, the main event of #Kumbati 2.|Mars G. Alison

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Omega Boxing Gym failed to sweep the three titles on hand in the #Kumbati 2 after Tomjone “Wardog” Mangubat lost the World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia Silver Featherweight title via an 8th round technical knockout to Arnel “Silencer” Baconaje of Pasay City, Friday night, April 6 at the Parkmall’s Piazza Rotunda.

Prior to Mangubat’s bout which was the main event, Ronnie Mark Vicelles and Ponciano Rimandiman, won their respective Visproba championships.

Leyte’s Rimandiman won the first title for Omega after scoring a majority decision win against Rowel “Jaguar” Rosia of Mandaluyong Manila in their 8-rounder 115-lbs supporting bout Visproba Super Flyweight Championship.

The judges scored the match 76-76, 77-75 and 77-75.

Next to hand Omega its second title of the night was Vicelles. His match against Robert “El Rapido” Onggocan of Biñan Laguna ended in the 5th round on a technical decision made by the referee after he suffered a deep cut above his eye.

However, the Lebak Sultan Kudarat native still won the 108-lbs supporting bout Visproba Light Flyweight Championship as he was leading in the scorecards, 50-45, 49-46, 48-47, before the fight was stopped. 

Likewise, Mangubat was leading in the scorecards after seven rounds, 66-64, 66-65, 68-62, when he got hit by a right overhand in the 1:37 mark of the 8th round that sent him sprawling on his back on the canvass.

“Ana jud na siya ang drama sa boxing, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, nya gidaug jud unta to nato sa puntos unta pero naigo man gud ta gud,” said Julius Erving Junco, the head coach of Omega Boxing Gym.

(That is the drama of a fight, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, we were winning in the scorecard but we got hit.)

A dizzy Mangubat tried to get up and beat the countdown, but the referee decided to end the match after Mangubat showed signs of still being groggy.

According to Junco, the decision was a bit controversial because the referee stopped at the count of eight.

However, he said that they would not protest the decision because Mangubat got really hit.

“Dili na lang, sports man to. Naigo man jud gud mi gud. Kita sad ang uban, wa niya nakita, naigo siya,” said Junco.

(Not anymore, that was sports, we really got hit. The others saw it. He [Mangubat] didn’t see it, thus he got hit.)

The coach added that if it weren’t for that lapse, they had a big chance of winning it because they were already leading in the scorecards with two remaining rounds left.

Despite Mangubat failing to clinch his first regional title, Junco said they would set up another tune-up match for him.

“Tune-up na sad then go back to the drawing board, tan-awon unsay nasipyat namo and then re-evaluate then work again,” said Junco.

(Another tune-up, then back to the drawing board, check what we missed then re-evaluate then work again.)

Junco said it could have been 3-0 with their two other wards winning, but perhaps God has other plans for them.