Saludar claims vacant WBA throne
In the first world title fight on local shores in the pandemic era, Vic Saludar scored a 12-round split decision over previously unbeaten Robert Paradero to claim the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight crown held under a bubble setup yesterday in Biñan. Laguna.
The victory gave Saludar his second world title as he once held the World Boxing Organization’s version of the 105-lb belt.
Judge Adel Tamano scored it 115-113 for Saludar while judge Danrex Tapdasan saw it 116-112 also for Saludar in the all-Filipino world title bout.
The scorecard submitted by the third judge — Alfie Jocosol — was mind-boggling.
Jocosol had it 118-110 for the off-beat Paradero, who was clearly in the thick of the fight, but not as dominant as what his scorecard had implied.
Daily Tribune scored it 114-114 as the often-wild Paradero opted to showboat in the last round, enabling the stand-up Saludar, though flat-footed most of the time, to catch up in the scoring.
Saludar’s triumph sent him in the company of John Riel Casimero, Jerwin Ancajas and Pedro Taduran as the country’s reigning world champions.
Still, it wasn’t a trouble-free win for Saludar, the 2010 Guangzhou Asian
Games bronze medalist, against
Paradero, who shook him with a big left to the jaw in the fourth round.
Paradero, who hails from Malaybalay, Bukidnon, took charge in the middle rounds by occasionally digging to Saludar’s ribcage using his left hook and swinging at his foe’s head.
But in the last couple of rounds, Paradero slowed down a bit and held his punches, probably thinking that he already had the fight in the bag.
The scorecard submitted by the third judge — Alfie Jocosol — was mind-boggling.
Saludar, a native of Polomolo in South Cotabato, then took advantage en route to convincing the two judges to give him the last two frames.
The victory boosted Saludar’s record to 21-4 with 11 knockouts while the loss was Paradero’s first as he dropped to 18-1 with 11 knockouts.
It was Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde who promoted the show, which was first penciled in December before moving it to January and finally staging it only Saturday owing to the problems posed by the coronavirus.
Next week, another world title fight featuring two Filipinos — champion Pedro Taduran and challenger Rene Cuarto — happens in General Santos City.
It will be Taduran’s second defense of the International Boxing Federation minimumweight throne and his first fight in a little over a year.