Basadre, Demecillo in grudge rematch for WBF AsPac belt

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines  — Regional champions Daryl ‘Flash’ Basadre (14-2-1, 10KOs) of Sanman Boxing and Kenny Demecillo (9-3-1, 6KOs) of Cebu’s Omega Boxing Stable will try to settle their old issue once and for all as they figure in an expected grudge rematch for the WBF Asia Paicific bantamweight title headlining the highly-anticipated ‘Brawl at the Mall: Revenge or Revalidation’ fightcard this afternoon at the Gaisano Mall Atrium here.

Their first meeting three months ago was shrouded with controversy, with Demecillo, the reigning WBA Oceania bantamweight champion, winning by second round technical knockout in an anticlimactic ending of what was expected to be an exciting showdown of two young world title hopefuls.

Basadre, the WBA Youth 118-pound king, got off to a good start, only to be dropped on the canvas by Demecillo with a powerful left hook late in round two. Interestingly, the referee quickly waved off the bout, drawing sharp protest from Basadre’s camp which was obviously disgruntled by the manner the fight as stopped.

Now that their paths cross again, this time in a bigger stage with a WBF regional belt at stake, Basadre and Demecillo will surely wage an all-out ring war against each other with hopes of putting a definitive end to their unfinished business.

"I was really hit hard by that punch but I believe the fight should not have been stopped," said Basadre moments after the official weigh-in yesterday. "I was a bit careless that time that is why I have to be extra prudent this time around. I know I am capable of beating him and that is my mindset going into the fight."

 Demecillo thinks otherwise, saying that he has landed a power shot enough to send Basadre out of his senses at that moment.

"I've seen him groggy and wobbling after I hit him with a hard left to the chin and the referee did the right thing," said Demecillo. "I really trained hard for this bout because I want to  come up with a repeat performance against him. I'm not really after of a knockout but if it comes along the way, I won't hesitate to go for it."

Aside from the Basadre-Demecillo rumble, fight fans in this side of the archipelago are surely in for a highly entertaining fistic treat as Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude Manangquil, the world’s youngest promoter, has lined up an explosive undercard to make sure that the first installment of his “Brawl at Mall’ series will be a blockbuster hit.

Leading the cast is WBC Asia and IBO Intercontinental flyweight champion Raymond Tabugon (16-3-1, 3KOs) of Sanman Stable, who will slug it out with Jong Sabellina in an eight-round super flyweight duel. Tabugon snared the IBO Intercontinental crown with a 12-round unanimous decision victory over South Africa's Luzuko Siyo last year.

In the equally-exciting supporting bouts, Rimar Metuda (7-0, 3KOs) also of Sanman and Jason Tinampay (6-1) of Edgar Ricafort Stabl of Bohol will dispute the vacant WBF Asia Pacific featherweight strap, while WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental featherweight titlist John Vincent “Mulawin Moralde (13 wins, 7 KOs) trades punches with faces Jerry Castroverde (6-1-0) of Cebu’s Omega Boxing Gym.

Three other undefeated mainstays of Sanman Boxing in super bantamweight Markquil ‘Gunz’ Salvana (8-0, 2KOs), featherweight ‘Magic’ Mike Plania (6-0), and bantamweight Reymart ‘GenSan Assasin” Gaballo (9-0) will showcase their wares the a must-see supporting bouts.

 Salvana will be tested by former Philippine champion Philip Parcon of RFM Stable-Davao, Plania will lock up horns with Roland Magluyab  of VMS Gym-Zamboanga, while Gaballo will go up against Frejun de la Cruz of Jun Placido Stable based in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

The rest of the action-packed show features the comebacking Engelbert ‘Agila’ Moralde of Sanman vs Joy Formentera of Howi & Ablaca Stable in Cebu and Jenny Boy Buca of Sanman versus Michael Padayag of Leonil Lazarito Stable in Bukidnon.

The slambang spectacle is presented by Sanman Promotions headed by Jim Claude Manangquil, Dexter Tan and John Ray Manangquil  in partnership with Gaisano Mall Atrium-GenSan, Mount Sabrina Resort, San Marino Tuna and Sydney Hotel General Santos. (FREEMAN)