Ex-world boxing champion KOs cellphone snatcher

A cellphone snatcher outran his pursuing victim but was not fast enough to escape the swift hands of former World Boxing Federation (WBF) champion William Magahin whom he ran into and who floored him with a single punch.

According to Malate police Inspector Marcelo Reyes, suspect Alfredo Briones, 21, Batang City Jail gang member, snatched the 3210 Nokia cellphone of 26-year-old Ryan Maxdell Gajo Tobias, an employee of the Department of Finance, at around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday.

The victim was on board a jeepney on Mabini street, busy texting on his cellphone, when the suspect grabbed it and fled towards a service road of the Harrizon Plaza mall.

But Briones ran into Magahin who was working as traffic aide in the area. The former boxing champ gave Briones a single punch, sending him down to the pavement.

"I was checking vehicles when I heard the victim’s shout: Stop the robber," said the 30-year-old Magahin, who hails from Olongapo City.

Tobias later positively identified the suspect to the police and was able to recover his cellphone valued at P6,000.

The suspect said he was knocked down by Magahin with a single punch and was floored again when he tried to get up, with another punch to his head. He said he felt groggy after receiving Magahin’s one-two combination.

Cellphone snatching is said to be rampant near schools and malls in Metro Manila, the police said. A stolen cellphone can be sold easily at one-third it’s original price.

Police said the public is warned against buying "GSM" cellphones that are surprisingly cheap because they might be "galing sa magnanakaw."