Lausa stuns Pitpitunge

MANILA, Philippines – Jenel Lausa stunned Pacific X-Treme Combat bantamweight titlist Crisanto Pitpitunge, pulling off a split decision to crown himself the new flyweight champion in PXC 51 at the Solaire Resort and Casino in Parañaque City Saturday night.

Lausa earned the nod of two judges, 48-47, to snare the vacant title stripped from Alvin Cacdac, who failed to make the weight in PXC 48 late last year. Pitpitunge also gained a 48-47 decision from the other judge.

It was Lausa’s fourth straight victory and sixth overall in eight bouts while snapping Pitpitunge’s three-win streak. Pitpitunge fell to 8-4.

Lausa, a 27-year-old native of Concepcion, Iloilo, lived up to the hype and battled Pitpitunge, from Baguio City-based Team Lakay, in a thriller that lasted five full rounds.

In the end, Lausa pulled through, winning over the fighter he admired most.

“He’s one of the fighters I looked up to and I respect him a lot,” said Lausa, ranked 13th in professional boxing in Southeast Asia.

Rolando Dy, son of boxing great Rolando Navarrete, bounced back from a two-fight skid by hacking out a unanimous decision over Miguel Mosquera in one of the most anticipated undercards of the night.

Dy, 24, won on all scorecards, 30-27, to bounce back from a loss by split decision to Guam’s Kyle Aguon and improve to 6-4.

“It’s a good feeling finally winning again,” said Dy, whose victory could line him up for a crack at the crown.

Aguon, for his part, dropped a unanimous decision to Korean Kwan Ho Kwak in the co-main event. The Phl’s Gina Iniong won via submission (leg lock) over Spain’s Vanessa Fernandez to improve to 4-2.

Other results saw John Cris Corton win over Farmon Gafarov, Sho Kogane edge Wesley Machado, Ernie Braca nip Emilio Urrutia, Han Seul Kim defeat Nao Yoneda and Rex de Lara stop Stephen Loman.