Virgel Vitor (right) holding his WBO Oriental super featherweight belt, while his foe, Yeerjialahashi Laayibieke touches the belt as a gesture of his desire to win the title during the weigh-in on Friday. | Glendale Rosal
TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL—The highly anticipated clash between Virgel “Valiente” Vitor and China’s Yeerjialahashi Laayibieke is set for this Saturday, July 27, at the Bohol Wisdom School gymnasium.
This fight serves as the main event of the “Kumong Bol-Anon 17” card promoted by the PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions.
READ MORE:
Cataraja surges to top of WBO super flyweight rankings
Japanese boxer refuses win, apologizes to Filipino foe in Japan
Paris Olympics 2024: Meet the Philippine boxing team
At the official weigh-in held on July 26 at Tagbilaran City Hall, both fighters tipped the scales at 129.6 pounds, officially setting the stage for their 12-round duel with Vitor defending his WBO Oriental super featherweight title.
Laayibieke, who arrived with his team on Thursday evening, expressed confidence in his ability to secure a knockout victory.
“I believe I can win and knock him out within eight rounds. I need this win to bring the title back to China,” he said through a translator.
In response, Vitor, the hometown favorite, remained focused on his goal. “I don’t predict rounds, but I’m certain I will win and potentially knock him out. We’ll see what happens in the ring tomorrow,” he stated.
READ MORE: Vitor braces for tough test against Chinese foe at “Kumong Bol-anon 17”
PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions has had mixed results with Chinese opponents. Shane Gentallan’s defeat to DianXing Zhu for the WBC Asian Silver light flyweight title last year serves as a cautionary tale. Gentallan lost by technical knockout in Guindulman, Bohol.
Vitor, who won the WBO regional title in a tough seventh-round knockout against Korean Tae Sun Kim in March, is determined not to repeat past mistakes.
“I’ve learned from my previous fight and will approach this bout with more strategy and caution,” Vitor said.
His promoter, Floriezyl Echavez-Podot, echoed this sentiment. “The last fight was a wake-up call. While aggression has its risks, if Vitor sees an opportunity for a knockout, he should seize it,” said Podot, who is also a lawyer.
“We expect Vitor to bring his powerful performance to the ring, promising an exciting fight.”
Co-main event
In the co-main event, PMI Bohol Boxing Stable’s Gerwin “Gladiator” Asilo will vie for his first title against Thailand’s Surat Eaim Ong. They will compete for the vacant WBO Oriental bantamweight strap.
Asilo remains undefeated with an 8-0 record, including 3 knockouts, while Ong boasts a 19-5-1 record with 14 knockouts. Both fighters weighed in at 117 pounds.
Undercard bouts
The undercard features PMI’s sole female fighter, Althea Shine Pores, who will trade leathers with Maria Therese Pinili for the Philippine Female Junior Flyweight title. Pores weighed in at 107 pounds, slightly lighter than Pinili, who weighed 107.9 pounds.
Additional undercard bouts include Reymart Tagacanao vs. Renoel Pael, Christian Balunan vs. Dexter Alimento, Shane Gentallan vs. Ariston Aton, and Angelous Pilapil vs. Kier Torregosa.
The curtain opener kicks off at 4:00 PM.