Maquilan stops Facularin to retain WBC Asia bantam belt in 'Blow-By-Blow'

MANILA, Philippines -- James Noli Maquilan bucked off a slow start to score an electrifying 11th-round knockout of the game and gutsy Jason Facularin to retain his World Boxing Council Asia Continental bantamweight belt late Saturday night during Manny Pacquiao Presents: Blow-By-Blow show at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Referee Jerold Tomeldan called a halt to the scheduled 12-rounder at the 1:03 mark upon seeing one of Facularin’s cornermen go up the ring to plead that the fight be stopped immediately as the small but boisterous crowd erupted in cheers.

Representing the Penalosa Boxing Gym of Merville, Paranaque, Maquilan floored Facularin in the fifth with a classic jab-straight combo and late in the tenth round with a perfectly-timed left hook.

The win boosted Maquilan’s card to 10-1 with seven knockouts while the loss dropped Facularin’s mark to 8-2 with eight knockouts.

Facularin started strong as he forced Maquilan to the ropes in the first two frames with a furious two-fisted head and body assault.

But Maquilan, known to be a slow starter, found a way to counter his foe’s aggressiveness en route to the smashing win in the fastest-growing weekly television boxing program on ONE Sports channel shown every Sunday at 8:30 p.m.

Eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao could not help but rave about the fantastic showing of Maquilan and those who fought in the undercard.

“Blow-By-Blow is fully committed to help develop Filipino fighters and I will be leading the way to enable them to fulfill their dreams,” said Pacquiao, who counts San Miguel Beer as a vital part of the show’s success.

On hand to congratulate Maquilan and the night’s other top performers were key officials of the Pasay City government.