‘Blow By Blow’ with a bang

A slam-bang “Blow By Blow” show preceded the recent Pacquiao-Elorde Awards Night at the Okada Manila Resort and Casino. There were eight fights on the bill with three championships at stake. Witnessing the action were icons of royalty from the past, present and future. WBC minimumweight titlist Melvin Jerusalem and IBF minimumweight ruler Pedro Taduran were in the house. Former world beltholders Rene Barrientos, Rolando Navarrete, Tacy Macalos and Luisito Espinosa came. None was more celebrated than the only eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao whose “Blow By Blow” staff has conspired with Johnny and Liza Elorde to organize the annual Pacquiao-Elorde Awards Night that made its debut last year.

Renowned international referee and judge Bruce McTavish was warmly applauded when he received the Ring Excellence Award. McTavish, 83, was with wife Carmen, their two daughters and son-in-law. The future was represented by Vencent Lacar and Arvin Jhon Paciones who were cited as Most Promising Boxers. Vencent and Jhon are how they spell their names. Lacar, 27, is the WBO Oriental and WBC Far East flyweight king with a 9-0 record, including four KOs and two wins abroad. Paciones, 20, is based in Vietnam and has compiled a 10-0 slate, with five KOs and nine wins abroad. Paciones is WBA’s No. 2 lightflyweight and is in line for a world title shot since No. 1 is vacant.

Among the VIPs who attended were former DILG secretary Benhur Abalos, POC president Mayor Bambol Tolentino, Parañaque Vice Mayor Joan Villafuerte, WBO Asia-Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo, GAB chairman Atty. Francisco Rivera, Rotary Governor Jackie Rodriguez, former Tourism Secretary Vince Carlos, two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo and MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons.

The main event featured former IBF minimumweight ruler Rene Mark Cuarto against southpaw Arvin (Hurricane) Magramo for the vacant WBC International lightflyweight crown. Magramo decked Cuarto twice in the fifth and was dominant in winning by a unanimous 12-round decision. Cuarto’s trainer Nonoy Neri said making weight was a struggle. Cuarto has now lost five of his last seven outings, two by KO in Japan. Magramo raised his record to 19-2-1, with 11 KOs.

In the chief aperitif, referee Sammy Bernabe stopped it at 2:36 of the third frame after Adrian (Wild Beast) Lerasan dropped Noli James Maquilan with a left to the jaw. Maquilan’s body contorted on the canvas when he fell but he got up only to be hammered, prompting Bernabe to step in. Lerasan took the vacant Philippine bantamweight title in the process. He has won five fights in Thailand, all by KO and one in Kazakhstan but lost in South Africa, Japan and Tanzania.  His record improved to 15-8, with 7 KOs. In a tenner, Roderick Bautista floored Alec Bonita twice before it was called off at 1:36 of the third. The WBC Asia silver flyweight title would’ve gone to Bautista but since he scaled 2.1 pounds over the limit, the throne stayed vacant. Bautista, 20, upped his record to 8-0, with five KOs and promised to be within weight in his next bout.