Young and unbeaten 108-pound fighter Arvin Jhon “AJ” Paciones (5-0, 4 KO’s) punished and stopped more-experienced former Asian belt-holder Jonathan Refugio (22-10, 5 KO’s), to lift the WBA Asia light flyweight title at the plush Saigon Sports Club in Ho Chi Minh City, in Southern Vietnam.
As Paciones had already taken control of the war, landing damaging blows to his opponent’s mid-section and head, Refugio decided not to come out for the action of round seven, handing the TKO win to the promising Cebu-native.
The hard-hitting 18-year-old is trained by his dad and coach former warrior “Do Dong” Paciones.
In another title clash, unbeaten Vietnamese slugger Hong Dat Vo (6-0, 4 KO’s) scored a clear twelve-chapter unanimous decision win over brave Filipino journeyman Ernie Sanchez (21-19-2, 12 KO’s) to claim the WBA Asia lightweight belt.
Also, taller Avzalbek Kuranbaev (8-1-1, 6 KO’s) of Tajikistan dropped and stopped Gensan veteran Adam Diu Abdulhamid (18-14) for a knockout in the sixth to conquer the WBA Asia South super welterweight crown.
A rough attack to the head and body dished out by the Tajik fighter rocked Abdulhamid to the canvas, getting him on his knees unable to regain his sense. He was forced to listen the third man’s full ten second count.
In a supporting bout, lanky Kellian Jacob Sisovic (2-0, 0 KO’s), scored an uneventful six round unanimous decision win over crafty and durable Indonesian super veteran Iwan Key (12-30-3, 1 KO) of the Jack Amisa stable.
Finally, in the strange and rather bizarre result of the night, Thailand fighter Chayanon Phothijun (7-4, 5 KO’s) abandoned his fight at the beginning of round eight, refusing to engage his Vietnamese opponent The Long Trinh (5-0, 5 KO’s).
The confusing bout was in fact rather competitive until the unexpected ending, which handed Trinh the WBC Asia silver middleweight title.