Pinoy kayoed in US ‘bantam’ eliminator, absorbs first loss

WASHINGTON – Juan Carlos Payano of the Dominican Republic knocked out Filipino Jundy Maraon in the seventh round of their bantamweight eliminator fight at West Orange, New Jersey, dealing the Filipino his first loss in 15 outings.

In the featured bout on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, Payano hit Maraon with two quick straight lefts to the head that knocked him out cold.

The Filipino was stabilized on the canvas for about five minutes before he was able to sit on the stool. 

As a precautionary measure doctors at ringside wanted to take him to hospital in an ambulance but Maraon’s team declined.  

The fight ended in 39 seconds of the seventh round.

The fighters, both southpaws, entered the ring with undefeated professional records – Payano was 13-0 and Maraon 14-0.  But Payano who boxing experts said fights like Manny Pacquiao, had 523 amateur fights under his belt.

Maraon last entered the ring nine months ago. Before that he was inactive for a little over three years.

He knocked down Payano in the closing seconds of the third round with a left. He was a stronger puncher but a shade slower than Payano, no doubt the result of all his inactivity.