Ni GILBERT ESPEÑA
NATIKMAN ni WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez ng Mexico ang unang knockdown sa kanyang karera laban kay No. 4 contender Genesis Servania ng Pilipinas para mapanatili ang kanyang korona kahapon sa 12-round hometown decision sa Tucson Arena, Arizona sa Estados Unidos.
“Valdez controlled the first three rounds, but then Servania dropped him in the fourth - and then rocked him again before the round was over. It was the first knockdown of Valdez’s career,” ayon sa ulat ng BoxingScene.com.
Nakabawi si Valdez nang mapabagsak sa 5th round si Servania na nakipagsabayan pa rin sa Mexican knockout artist.
Goodbye PBA? John Amores, tinanggalan na ng professional license!
“Then at the end of the sixth, it was Servania who rallied with a lot of punches to stagger Valdez. The same scenario in the seventh, as Servania came on strong in the final twenty second with a lot of punches to possibly steal the round,” dagdag sa ulat. “The next two rounds saw Valdez with the edge, fighting his way with Servania in there and also throwing hard shots.”
Nakaiwas si Valdez sa malalakas na bigwas ni Servania sa mga sumunod na rounds para makakuha ng mga puntos sa mga hurado na pawang pinili ng kanyang promoter na si Top Rank big boss Bob Arum.
“They were both throwing hard stuff in the twelfth and final round, and both had their moments - especially in the last ten seconds when there were trading punches in toe to toe fashion,” dagdag sa ulat. “The scores were 116-110, 119-111 and 117-109.”
Napaganda ni Valdez ang kanyang rekord sa perpektong 23 panalo na may 19 na knockouts samantalang bumagsak ang kartada ni Servania sa 29 panalo, 1 talo na may 12 knockouts.
