Pete Apolinar (left) lands a left uppercut to Japanese Hayato Tsutsumi in their bout in Japan in 2022. | Photo from Naoki Fukuda
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Boxing prospect Pete Apolinar spearheads “Prime Fight 3” fight card on December 29 at the SM Sky Hall in SM Seaside City Cebu.
The fight card put up by Talisay City-based Prime Stags Sports features Apolinar, a former Omega Boxing Gym pug, who recently signed with their stable.
The 28-year-old San Pablo, Laguna native moved to Prime Stags Sports three months ago, according to the stable’s vice president Pocholo Padilla.
Apolinar brings with him his new ring moniker “Prime Fight” from “Thunder” and along with it his impressive resume of 17 wins with 10 knockouts and four defeats.
He will face unbeaten Chinese prospect Lingjie Xia (9W-0L,1D, 2KOs) for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental featherweight title in the main event.
Apolinar is journeying for redemption after losing major bouts since 2021.
His first major loss was against Filipino tormentor Korean Jong Seon Kang in November 2021 in South Korea for the same title Apolinar will be vying for on December 29.
After that, Apolinar bounced back, beating Jhunriel Ramonal in 2022 in the Philippines to clinch the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super bantamweight title via a sensational knockout.
However, Apolinar hit a brick wall after losing back-to-back crucial bouts in Japan. He lost to Yoshiki Takei for the OPBF super bantamweight title by technical knockout in 2022 followed by another defeat in the same year against Hayato Tsutsumi in a non-title bout via unanimous decision.
In April 2023, Apolinar beat Reymond Empic by unanimous decision in his tune-up bout in Lapu-Lapu City.
Contrastingly, the 32-year-old Xia, a former World Boxing Council (WBC) Asian Continental lightweight champion hasn’t tasted defeat and this will be his first time to fight abroad.
Xia won his last three bouts by unanimous decision. Among his last opponents were Filipinos Landy Cris Leon and Arnel Baconaje. He also defeated Bener Santig and Adones Aguelo.
MELINDO VS TANZANIAN
In the co-main event, former IBF and IBO world light flyweight champion Milan “El Metodico” Melindo will end his six-month hiatus by taking on Tanzanian Mchanja Yohana in a non-title bout.
Melindo (39-6, 14KOs) eyes a comeback win after he lost his OPBF silver featherweight title to Kang last July in Korea via unanimous decision, so as Yohana who got beaten by fellow Tanzanian Haidari Mchanjo last May in their country’s capital.
His record dwarf’s the Tanzanian’s 14 wins, 12 knockouts, five defeats, and one draw slate.
Despite the huge gap with their pro boxing records, Yohana isn’t new in fighting abroad. He has fought in Russia and Ghana. He is also a former Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) world light flyweight champion.
Meanwhile, the full fight card of “Prime Fight 3” is yet to be revealed.
RELATED STORIES
Apolinar on helping Inoue vs Donaire: Trabaho lang walang personalan
Apolinar loses OPBF super bantam belt with 5th round stoppage
Apolinar, Amparo are GAB’s Boxers of the Month