First-round knockouts
Vincent Astrolabio’s first-round knockout loss to defending WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani in Tokyo last July 20 wasn’t the first time a Filipino suffered a quick ending in a world title fight.
Here›s a rundown. Former WBC lightflyweight champion Rolando Pascua lost to Johnny Bredahl in an IBO bantamweight title fight in Denmark in 1996. WBF featherweight ruler Rico Siodora yielded his throne to Thongchai Treeviset in Cagayan de Oro in 1998. Malcolm Tunacao was blitzed by Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in surrendering his WBC flyweight crown in Thailand in 2001. Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista bowed to Daniel Ponce de Leon in a bid for the WBC superbantamweight title in Sacramento in 2007. Sonny Boy Jaro was blown out by Giovani Segura in a WBA lightflyweight championship match in Mexico in 2009.
On the flip side, several Filipinos won by a first-round KO in world title bouts. Flash Elorde disposed of Harold Gomes to retain his world junior lightweight strap at the San Francisco Cow Palace in 1960 and later that year, did the same to Sergio Caprari at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Roberto Cruz crushed Raymundo (Battling) Torres to win the vacant WBC superlightweight belt at the Los Angeles Dodgers Stadium in 1963. Ben Villalfor flattened Kuniaki Shibata to regain the WBA superfeatherweight diadem in Honolulu in 1973. Luisito Espinosa starched Khaokor Galaxy to grab the WBA bantamweight title in Bangkok in 1989 then Manny Pacquiao joined the parade in blasting Fahprakorb Rakkiat-Gym to retain his IBF superbantamweight crown in Davao City in 2002. Brian Viloria stunned Eric Ortiz to claim the WBC lightflyweight throne in Los Angeles in 2005.
South African Gideon Buthelezi was the victim of two Filipinos who scored first-round KOs in world title fights in South Africa. Edrin Dapudong downed Buthelezi for the IBO superflyweight title in 2013 and Dave Apolinario followed suit to capture the IBO flyweight crown in 2022.
Astrolabio’s defeat was a shocker, particularly as he had trained four long months for his second chance to win a world title. “It happens in boxing,” said MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons. “I don’t think Astrolabio saw the punch. He had his hands up to
