Jimenez scores easy KO, claims WBF Asia Pacific title
John Kevin Jimenez. | Photo from Edcel Tonacao
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebuano rising prospect John Kevin Jimenez bounced back in style, scoring a second-round knockout win over Indonesian fighter Faisol Akbar in their World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Asia Pacific minimumweight championship bout held Wednesday, April 9, at the Celestino Martinez Sr. Sports and Cultural Complex in Bogo City, northern Cebu.
The knockout came in the second round via a body shot that landed cleanly on Akbar’s left side, sending him down and unable to respond to referee Tony Pesons’ mandatory count.
It was the second time Jimenez knocked Akbar down — the first knockdown came in the opening round from a similar body shot combination.
With the win, Jimenez — who fights under the Chao Sy Boxing Stable of Lorenzo Chao Sy — now holds three titles.
He is currently the reigning Orient Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Youth Champion, Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Youth Champion, and the new WBF Asia Pacific Champion.
In December, the 27-year-old Jimenez attempted to capture the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental Minimumweight belt but fell short after getting knocked out by Boholano Joseph Sumabong in the second round in the City of Naga, southern Cebu.
However, Jimenez triumphed in his comeback, improving his record to nine wins and two losses, with four of those wins coming by knockout.
During the weigh-in, Jimenez initially went over the limit by 0.6 lbs.
He quickly shed the excess to meet the 104.4 lbs. mark — the same weight recorded by his Indonesian opponent.
Jimenez also came in overweight in his previous bout in Naga, but according to his trainer and older brother, Junrel Jimenez, they have no plans of moving him up to a higher weight class.
Akbar, meanwhile, dropped to a record of 10 wins and 9 losses.
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