Ni Gilbert Espeña
ISA nang ganap na OPBF super featherweight champion si dating interim titlist Filipino Carlo Magali matapos talunin via 10th round knockout si dating world rated Masayoshi Kotani nitong Linggo sa Tokyo, Japan.
Bagama’t mas matangkad ang kalaban na si Kotani na kilalang knockout artist, hindi nagpakita ng takot si Magali sa kanyang mga kombinasyon para talunin ang Hapones sa harap ng mga nagbubunying kababayan.
“The first OPBF title go was a one-man show of the Filipino defending champ Carlo Magali, standing only 5’5” with sturdy physique and muscular shoulders,”| ayon sa Fightnews.com. “Despite his awkward appearance Magali was good at precision in catching up with the hard-punching Japanese challenger who had been unbeaten since 2013, decking six dynamic knockouts in twelve victories.”
“Magali dominated middle rounds and dropped Kotani twice with a well-timed left hook and then with a left-right combination,” dagdag sa ulat. “Having returned to his corner with his shaky legs, he gamely came out fighting only to be stopped by the ref Fukuchi upon his absorption of a vicious right that almost toppled him to the deck. The referee was a good catcher of the loser’s falling body.”
Sa iba pang sagupaan, napatigil naman ng mas mabilis na si OPBF super lightweight champion Rikki Naito ng Kapan si Filipino Jeffrey Atienza sa 9th round ng kanilang 12-round na sagupaan.