Kumong Bol-Anon XIV: Vitor wins WBO Oriental title despite knockdown drama

Virgel Vitor erupted in celebration with his team after knocking out Tae Sun Kim of South Korea. | By Glendale Rosal

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines— PMI Bohol Boxing Stable’s Virgel “Valiente” Vitor weathered a second round knockdown to claim the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental super featherweight title by stopping South Korean Tae Sun Kim in the main event of “Kumong Bol-Anon XIV” on Friday evening, March 8, at the Saulog Gymnasium here.

The 26-year-old hometown hero put the crowd weary after getting knocked down with power punches in the second round by Kim, after he had knocked him down earlier.

Fortunately, Vitor, who once held the WBO Oriental title was saved by the bell and bounced back from the knockdown to retaliate with a sensational seventh round knockout against the equally-determined Korean foe.

This win brought Vitor’s record to 22 wins (15 by knockout) and three defeats, while Kim’s record dropped to 11 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws, with 8 knockouts.

Tae Sun Kim lying on the canvas after getting knocked out by Virgel Vitor, while referee Danrex Tapdasan starts counting. | By Glendale Rosal

“I need to stand back on my feet from that knockdown because this is my hometown, I’m a Boholano, I’m tough and I have the heart and courage to win the fight,” said Vitor after the fight.

“I put in my mind and heart that I must win because I want to come back in the world rankings and hopefully fight for the world title. I was very determined to survive that knockdown and do my best to beat my opponent.”

During the bout, Vitor stunned Kim with a fast combo that knocked him down. Kim immediately stood up and argued with the referee, Danrex Tapdasan, that he only slipped.

Vitor, on the neutral corner, sensed that he could stop Kim early. He went reckless and fought the Korean toe-to-toe.

They exchanged punches aggressively, but Kim landed power punches that wobbled Vitor in front of the latter’s corner. Kim followed it up with another combination, knocking down Vitor, almost sending him out of the ring.

Kim would’ve staged a huge upset, but the bell rang, saving Vitor from annihilation.

Photo by Glendale Rosal

Vitor explained that he was forced to lower his left arm, making him vulnerable due to his rib injury he sustained last year.

Thus, Kim perfectly landed his power punches that resulted to the knockdown. That injury also forced his fight against Kim to be rescheduled last night.

Vitor took a while to recover from the knockdown that also resulted to a left cut on his eyebrow. According to Vitor, it was his heart and desire to win that carried him throughout the fight.

“I can take his punch, he just had a good timing. I re-focused myself in the next rounds and boxed him, while I recover. I was setting up my jabs to land my power punches, until I got the perfect timing in the seventh round to finish him off,” Vitor explained.

Vitor gained momentum in the ensuing rounds, landing sharp jabs, while moving away from Kim who was looking for a knockout.

In the sixth round, Vitor almost downed Kim with a combination, but the Korean survived.

Photo by Glendale Rosal

It was until the seventh round that Vitor landed a vicious jab-straight combo that knocked out Kim with 49 seconds left in the round.

The entire Saulog Gymnasium erupted in celebration. It was also a sigh of relief that their hometown bet survived a scary knockdown earlier in the fight.

One of the happiest people at the venue was Vitor’s manager and promoter, Atty. Floriezyl Echavez-Podot, the head of the PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions.

“It was a great matchup, Vitor really found a worthy opponent that tested him,” said Podot, who admitted he was anxious the entire fight.

“Vitor really tasted a knockdown, luckily he was saved by the bell. Fortunately, Vitor’s condition for his fight was excellent that’s why he recovered from the knockdown. What’s important for me was he finished the fight, he knocked out his opponent, it would’ve been a disaster if he didn’t stand up from that knockdown,” he said. /clorenciana

READ MORE: Kumong Bol-Anon XIV pits Vitor and Korean foe in main event