Suico keeps OPBF title by TKO; Jaca prevails

By Salven Lagumbay Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--Orient-Pacific lightweight champion Randy Suico retained his title impressively while World Boxing Organization Asia Pacific super featherweight king Jimrex Jaca barely held on to his crown Saturday in the Battle for Supremacy: Philippines vs Japan card at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Suico was brilliant in stopping the taller Koji Samejima in 2 minutes and 23 seconds of the eighth round after knocking down his rival in the sixth. Referee Bruce McTavish did not bother to count when Samejima fell like a log from a big Suico right in the eighth. Paramedics immediately went up the ring to help revive the challenger, who stood up after a few minutes. Jaca kept his title when his bout with Japanese Ryu Miyagi was declared a technical draw in the second round after the Filipino suffered a nasty cut. Referee McTavish called it a headbutt. Miyagi knocked down Jaca twice early in the opening round but the Filipino returned the compliment before the round ended. Promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud, who manages Jaca, said that a rematch will be worked out for the duo. Suico, making the second defense of his Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation 135-lb title, improved to 27 wins, 3 losses with 23 knockouts, while Samejima fell to 15-2 with 1 draw. Suico’s manager Joe Koizumi said the champ will defend his title in November or take on South African Ali Funeka. In other fights, Wyndel Janiola eked out a disputed split decision win over Japanese Hiroyuki Hisataka while Noriyuki Komatsu and Roy Doliguez figured in a technical draw after the Japanese was cut in the first round.