Jerald Into outclasses American foe, advances to Round of 16

Jerald Into | Facebook photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Undefeated Filipino lightweight prospect Jerald “Truman” Into pulled off an impressive victory against American bet Ahmad Muhammad Jones, winning by unanimous decision in the Round of 32 of the World Boxing Council (WBC) Boxing Grand Prix on April 18 at the BLVD City Global Theater in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

With the victory, the 25-year-old Into secured a spot in the Round of 16 of the super lightweight division set for June, while also preserving his unblemished record—now 12-0 with nine knockouts.

The judges scored the bout 59-55, 58-56, and 58-56, all in favor of Into, who delivered a clinical performance over six action-packed rounds.

Hailing from Zamboanga del Sur, Into opened the fight aggressively, peppering Jones with well-timed jabs and sharp counters that kept the American on the backfoot. He showcased excellent movement and defense, forcing Jones into awkward exchanges and wild punches.

A clash of heads in the fourth round left both fighters bloodied—Jones sustained a cut on his swollen right eyelid, while Into suffered a gash on his upper forehead.

Despite the injuries, the bout continued, with Into maintaining control en route to a convincing win.

The loss was the first in Jones’ professional career, dropping his record to 10-1 with seven knockouts.

In contrast, fellow Filipino Crisalito Beltran came up short in his own Round of 32 match, falling via unanimous decision to hard-hitting Argentinian Alan David Crenz.

In a gritty slugfest, Crenz edged Beltran with scores of 58-54, 58-55, and 58-55. Crenz improved his record to 15-1 with 14 knockouts, while Beltran, a proud son of Bukidnon, suffered his first defeat and now holds a 8-1 record with six knockouts.

Despite the setback, Beltran gave a gallant effort. However, Crenz’s precise counter punches proved to be the deciding factor in the bout.