Into absorbs first pro defeat in WBC Grand Prix’s Round of 16
Jerald Into goes down to the canvas from a knockdown in his Round of 16 fight against Kazakhstan’s Sanatali Toltayev in the WBC Boxing Grand Prix. | Photo from Boxing Grand Prix.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Jerald Into’s undefeated run and hopes of winning the World Boxing Council (WBC) Boxing Grand Prix came to an end after a tough loss to Kazakhstan’s Sanatali Toltayev in their Round of 16 clash on Friday night, June 20 (Manila time), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Toltayev pulled off the upset with a unanimous decision victory, earning the judges’ scores of 58-54, 57-55, and 57-55.
The Kazakh boxer improved his professional record to 3-0 with two knockouts, while Into, who entered the bout as the heavy favorite, suffered his first professional defeat. He now holds a 12-1 record with nine knockouts.
The turning point of the match came early. In the first round, Toltayev set a trap by feinting a jab, luring Into into range before landing a vicious left hook that sent the Filipino to the canvas. Into’s glove and knee touched the floor, resulting in a knockdown, but he quickly got back on his feet.
From there, Into went on the offensive, throwing wild haymakers in an attempt to regain control. He managed to land some significant shots, but Toltayev remained composed and sharp, firing back with clean one-two combinations.
Despite his unorthodox stance, Toltayev repeatedly landed shots to the back of Into’s head—illegal punches that earned him a warning from the referee. He also hit Into low, prompting another warning. Eventually, in the fourth round, the referee deducted a point from Toltayev for rabbit punching.
Still, the early knockdown and Toltayev’s effective jab-straight combinations proved enough to secure the win. Into did have moments where he connected with solid combinations, but Toltayev’s defense held strong, blocking or dodging most of the punches.
As the fight wore on, Into continued to press forward, throwing combinations in search of a comeback. But Toltayev’s counters and timely jabs continued to land, frustrating the Filipino’s efforts.
With the loss, Into exited as the last Filipino boxer, while Toltayev advances to the quarterfinals of the WBC Grand Prix.
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