Vince Paras (left) and Robert Paradero (right) exchange punches during their ten-rounder bout in Sanman Bubble IX last Tuesday, April 26, in General Santos City. | Photo from Sanman Promotions Facebook page.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world title contenders Robert “Super Inggo” Paradero and Vince “J-Vince” Paras ended their 10-rounder minimumweight showdown in Sanman Bubble IX in a split draw last Tuesday, April 26, 2022, in General Santos City.
When the dust settled down, judge Sabas Ponpon saw the bout equally matched and scored it 95, all while Judge Rodolfo Alocelja has Paradero winning the bout, 96-94, and Brembot Dulalas favored Paras, 98-92, which resulted in a split draw.
Both boxers lived up to the hype despite the anti-climactic result by fighting toe-to-toe from the opening bell to the final round.
Paradero absorbed his first draw with 18 wins, 12 knockouts, and two defeats. It wasn’t the outcome he expected after losing twice in world title bouts last year.
The 25-year-old Bukidnon native lost to fellow Filipino Vic Saludar for the vacant WBA world minimumweight title via split decision in February 2021. Before the year ended, he lost to Thai Thammanoon Niyomtrong for the WBA super world minimumweight title via a fifth-round technical knockout in Phuket, Thailand.
Meanwhile, Paras snapped his three-fight winning streak after the split draw last Tuesday. The 23-year-old former IBF world minimumweight title challenger also logged his first draw with 16 wins, 14 knockouts, and two defeats.
On the other hand, Cebuano, former interim world champion Jhack “El Kapitan” Tepora, ended his two-year layoff with a knockout victory against Richard Betos in the undercard.
Tepora decked Betos twice in their short-lived bout and clinched a second-round knockout victory at the 2:09 mark. With his big comeback, the 27-year-old Tepora, the former WBA interim world featherweight champion, improved his record to 24-1 (win-loss) with 18 knockouts.
Betos suffered his 27th defeat with 21 wins, eight knockouts, and two draws.
Also, Sanman Boxing Gym’s Jayson Mama scored a unanimous decision victory versus Ramel Antaran. Mama, a former challenger for the IBF world flyweight champion, earned the three judges’ favor after scoring the eight-rounder bout, 80-72, 80-72, and 79-73.
Mama improved his record to 17-1 (win-loss) with nine knockouts, while Antaran dropped to a 4-17 (win-loss) record.
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