Inconclusive ending

Malcolm Tuñacao never got to show what he had in store for World Boxing Council (WBC) International flyweight champion Randy Mangubat in their abbreviated fight at the Casino Filipino in Parañaque last Saturday night.

An accidental clash of heads left Tuñacao bleeding badly from a scalp wound that later took six stitches to close and ringside physician Dr. Nasser Cruz ruled the former WBC flyweight titlist unfit to continue in the fourth round.

Under WBC rules, if a fighter is unable to continue because of a cut inflicted by an unintentional butt before the start of the fifth round, the bout is automatically declared a technical draw. After the fifth, it will be a technical decision for the fighter ahead on points, including the scores of the round – regardless of whether it ended or not – where the bout is stopped.

For the record, two of the three judges saw Mangubat on top after three rounds. Referee Bruce McTavish and Alex Villacampa scored it 29-28 for the Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte, defending champion. Vic Rodriguez had it 29-28 for Tuñacao.

It was difficult to predict how the fight would’ve progressed if it went on although Mangubat had the momentum at the time of the stoppage. Tuñacao took the first round on all three judges’ scorecards almost by default as Mangubat hardly threw a punch. Mangubat got busy starting the second round, pounding Tuñacao’s body like a heavy bag in the gym.

Tuñacao obviously didn’t like getting hit in the gut. Once, he asked for time to recover from a foul blow to the liver. McTavish obliged. Clearly, Tuñacao had to do something drastic to fend off the rampaging Mangubat who walked through his jabs.

Then came the headbutt.

Dr. Cruz took an eternity to decide Tuñacao‘s fate. He later explained the cut was a "borderline" case – it wasn‘t deep but the impact of the butt shook up Tuñacao so badly that it blurred his vision or so the fighter claimed. Games and Amusements Board (GAB) chairman Dominador Cepeda, acting as WBC ringside supervisor, had to step onto the ring apron to prod Dr. Nasser into making a decision. Finally, Dr. Cruz waved it off.

The indecision was reminiscent of the Julio Cesar Chavez-Frankie Randall rematch for the WBC superlightweight crown in 1994. Chavez bled from a cut opened by an accidental headbutt in the eighth round. The ringside physician asked Chavez if he could continue. Since he was ahead on points – as a tipster apparently signalled, Chavez said no. The doctor stopped it and Chavez won a technical decision. Randall should’ve protested the irregularity of Chavez advising the doctor to stop it but didn’t – he knew better than to go against the WBC’s Mexican lords.

Tuñacao said he purposely held back from an all-out attack because the plan was to tire out Mangubat in the early going then go for the kill in the fifth.

Tuñacao, in his first fight since losing the WBC flyweight crown to Pongsaklek Wonjongkam on a one-round knockout last March, said he was well-trained for Mangubat. He’d logged over 80 rounds sparring with the likes of Joma Gamboa and Jovan Presbitero. Making the weight wasn’t a problem, he added. Tuñacao scaled 111 pounds a day before the weigh-in.

Tuñacao confessed that after he lost to Pongsaklek, he thought of moving up to superflyweight but decided against it because his buddy Gerry Peñalosa fights in the 115-pound division. He’ll stick it out at flyweight to avoid a collision course with his pal.

Tuñacao said he’d like a rematch with Mangubat, who is managed by Yuki Moriyama – a Japanese local resident married to a Filipina.

"Malakas yung kanan ni Randy – mahirap siyang labanan," noted Tuñacao in a long distance phonecall from Cebu yesterday. "Kung magkaroon ng rematch, sisikapin kong ipakita na kaya ko siyang talunin."

Some ringsiders felt Tuñacao took the easy way out by claiming blurred vision. But Tuñacao insisted he was too groggy to continue. Yesterday, he said he still had a headache.

In other fights on promoter Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde’s "Fists of Fury" card, WBC International lightflyweight titleholder Juanito Rubillar stopped Japanese challenger Takahiko Mizuno at 1:13 of the fourth, Abner Cordero decked Ricky Gayamo thrice in the fourth to wrest the WBC International bantamweight crown on an automatic knockout, and Philippine lightweight ruler Jovan Presbitero survived a late rally to score a unanimous 12-round decision over challenger Sukarno Banjao.

A big crowd witnessed the proceedings. Among those at ringside were Sen. Ramon Revilla, Gov. Luis Singson, PAGCOR Chairman and President Ephraim Genuino, Mayor Zander Kahn of Jose Abad Santos, Davao del Sur, actor Anjo Yllana, and Peñalosa.