Gumban, Bernaldez destroy Indon foes in ‘IDOL’ boxfest

CEBU, Philippines - Undefeated ALA Boxing Gym stalwarts Melvin ‘Top Gun’ Gumban and Mark Bernaldez put on a clinical show in  dismantling their Indonesian foes during the inaugural staging of the 'IDOL' television boxing series last Saturday night at the Escalante City Coliseum in Negros Occidental.

The 23-year-old Gumban, a rising super flyweight contender, wisely used his speed and power to destroy John Bajawa at 2:21 of round seven.

Gumban was tested by Bajawa who gamely engaged him in an all-out brawl, but it was the young ALA fighter who delivered the finishing blows, connecting vicious left hooks to the jaw that sent the Indon visitor down at the seat of his pants for good in the seventh round.

Unlike Gumban, Bernaldez almost didn't break out a sweat in hurdling his second test against a foreign opponent, diffusing the Indon dynamite Marangin Marbun in just 120 seconds.

Bernaldez jumped the gun on Marbun right after the opening buzzer, launching a barrage of punches capped by a brutal left hook to the liver that knocked the lights out of the Indon boxer at the two-minute mark of the very first round.

Aside from preserving their clean records, Gumban and Bernaldez also proved their worth as newest additions to the elite list of world title hopefuls from the fabled ALA Stable. Gumban now carries a 15-0 slate spiked with 7KOs, while Bernaldez totes an 11-0 card dotted with 7KOs.

In the supporting bout of the newest boxing show presented by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports, Jessel Mark Magsayo, a former amateur standout from Bohol, cruised to his third straight win via a lopsided unanimous decision over John Rey Melligen.

In the other matches, Richard Barrios destroyed Ryan Canillas in the opening session, Kim Galon stopped Rico Eugis in round two, while Japanese Kazuma Ejiri and Raul Yu both scored a first round stoppage of Jerome Baja and Diomedes Semella, respectively. (FREEMAN)