Virgel Vitor (fifth from left) is the new the WBO Oriental super featherweight champion after he beat Korean boxer Dong Kwan Lee for the title on Dec. 8 at the Kumong Bol-anon 8 in Calape, Bohol. With him in photo are his promoter Floriezyl Echavez-Podot (extreme left), Tagbilaran City Mayor Censoria Cajes-Yap (4th from left), former Tagbilaran city mayor John Geesnell Yap (4th from left) and other local officials. | Glendale G. Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines — There is no other way but up for the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental super featherweight champion, Virgel “Valiente” Vitor, after easily knocking out Korean Dong Kwan Lee in the main event of “Kumong Bol-Anon 8,” on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at the Calape Cultural and Sports Complex in Calape, Bohol.
His manager and promoter, Floriezyl Echavez-Podot of the PMI Bohol Boxing Stable, eyes the WBO global title, which is equivalent to the international and intercontinental titles, to further improve Vitor’s chances to earn a world title shot.
For Podot, Vitor is already ripe for bigger fights, most particularly a world title shot.
“Ug makuha nato ang world title next year, mas maayo. Morequest ta og suway pareho sa gibuhat namo kang Regie Suganob nga nisuwat mi sa IBF para sa world title eliminator. Mao pud among buhaton para kang Vitor ngadto sa WBO. Hinog na kaayo siya,” said the ecstatic Podot after the bout.
(If we can get the world title next year, that would be good. We will request for a fight same as what we did with Regie Suganob where we wrote the IBF for the world title eliminator. That is what we did with to the WBO for Vitor. He is already very ripe.)
Vitor floored Lee twice in their short-lived bout. The first knockdown came in the second round when Vitor landed a right overhand while pressing Lee against the rope.
Lee quickly got on his feet and mixed up with Vitor for a furious exchange of punches.
Vitor then finished the Korean boxer with a left hook which sent the latter down and crashing on the canvas in the second round. Lee, who was lying flat on his back, tried to get up but was too dazed from the left hook and failed to beat referee Danrex Tapdasan’s count.
Vitor, a native of Tagbilaran City, improved his record to 20 wins with 13 knockouts and 2 defeats.
Lee dropped to a 16-3-2 (win-loss-draw) record with 7 knockouts.
Daniel Nicolas drops to his knees after being announced the winner of the WBO Oriental Youth featherweight title against Jestine Tesoro. | Glendale Rosal
Aside from Vitor’s victory, Palawan-native Daniel Nicolas became PMI’s fifth regional titleholder after defeating Davao’s Jestine Tesoro for the vacant WBO Oriental Youth featherweight title after eight grueling rounds.
Nicolas won by split decision with the scores of 74-77, 75-77, and 75-77 from the three judges.
Nicolas improved his unbeaten record to seven wins with four knockouts, while Tesoro suffered his fifth loss with seven wins and three knockouts.
Meanwhile, Vitor’s ascension with the PMI Bohol Boxing Stable is nothing short of impressive. Vitor, who only fought four bouts under PMI after signing with the Bohol-based boxing promotions this year, yielded the WBO regional title.
Above all, it reignited his boxing career, which started at the ALA Boxing Gym.
“Mao gyud among prediction within five rounds nga matumba. Mao gyud to ang gipractice gyud namo, among tan-aw kung mosagol ni ang Koreano sa duwa, matumba jud siya. Aw nisagol man siya. Dili jud questionable ang kakusgon sa kumo ni Vitor,” said Podot.
(This is our prediction within five rounds he will fall. That is what we practiced, we saw that if the Korean game would be to mix it up with Vitor, then he would fall. He mixed it up with Vitor. The power of Vitor’s fists are not questionable.)
“I’m very satisfied. Mao na among giingon sa among game plan nga maknockout niya pero iyahang na surpass among expectations og ang iyang previous nga duwa,” said Podot.
(I’m very satisfied. That is what we said in our game plan that he could knockout his foe but he would have to surpass our expectations and what he did in the previous fight.)
Vitor’s victory could also possibly include him in the world’s top 15 rankings. Thus, they are optimistic about landing him a world title bout next year.
Vitor: Ready for the challenge
For his part, Vitor is ready to take on the challenge.
“Grabe kaayo akong pasalamat. Kung dili tungod sa ginoo, wala jud ni tanan. Pinaagi sa akong kugi, nakuha jud nako akong kadaugan sa impresibo nga paagi. Walay adlaw mag huna-huna nga modaog lang. Kinahanglan nga ibutang jud nako akong heart kay kahibalo ko matag kontra nako naa jud abilidad, dili lang mokumpyansa pirmi,” said Vitor.
(I am so grateful. If not for God, all of this will not happen. Through hard work, I got an impressive victory. There is not a day where I think about winning. I needed to put my heart in all my efforts because I know that every opponent has their own abilities, I would just need not be reckless.)
“Sa karon, nisaka naman ang mga boxers nga gusto nako makontra. So kinsa ang available nila sa akong timbang willing ko mofight bisan kinsa nga world champion. Lami kaayo sa feeling nga hinog nako, sama sa akong giingon, dili kaayo ko magpabilib sa akong kaugalingon. Kinahanglan jud ko nga kung unsa ko karon, ako pang labwan gyud,” he said.
(For now, the boxers that I like to face have risen in rank. So anyone who is available in my weight class, I am willing to fight any world champion. It is a good feeling to be ripe to fight them, I will not just be overconfident in myself. I really need to surpass what I am and achieved now.)
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