Age :
23
Height :
170
cm
Stance :
Orthodox
Region :
Caloocan City, Metro Manila
Country :
Philippines
Record : PRO DEBUT
Record :
13
Wins
(
9
KO)
/
2
Loss
/
2
Draws
Quality Elorde youngster who defends his RP title here. He has had a couple of opponents fall through due to injury, and now takes on Roland Jay Biendima in this key undercard fight. The Sniper was on a 7 fight winning streak before drawing with the feisty Miel Fajardo, and then enjoyed a strong win over Cebu boxer April Jay Abne. It was a commanding display, yet in what was without doubt the most embarrassing scoring glitch of the year, the nod went the way of the Cebu boxer. No doubt Ligas will be looking to make amends in a big way here!
Ben is a high work rate boxer with an advance ring IQ for a 23 year old. He is also quite tall at the weight, and the reach gives him excellent options to box long as well as fight inside.
Elorde boxer Ben Ligas weighed in this morning for his 118lb Bantamweight clash with Keita Nakayama tomorrow in Japan.
The Manila based fighter known as "The Sniper" found a lot of success as a Flyweight boxer, and was RP Champ for an extended time.
But the heavier weight classes were always his destiny, and he will test his mettle against an extremely tall opponent in the former standout amateur Nakayama at Bantamweight.
The Osaka local looked ominous at his pro debut, taking out Korean Ji Yong Kim in the very first round.
Philippines hope Ben Ligas will enter the ring sporting a 17 win 5 loss resume.
Great fight - best of luck to both fighters.
Watch Philippines national champion Ben Ligas assault on the IBO Intercontinental belt tonight when he takes on hot South American boxer Andres Campos.
Campos was unbeaten in 15 fights before dropping a points decision to world champion Sunny Edwards in June.
Ligas has plenty of local support, attracting the attention of Andrew and Jason Maloney. The Philippines champ is flanked by master trainer Jetro Pabustan.
The live stream of tonight's bout will be posted here later.
"The Sniper" Ben Ligas is in career best shape to shock them at the beautiful coastal town of Burleigh Heads in Australia tomorrow night.
Ligas 15-3 takes on Chile's Andre Campos 15-1 for the IBO Intercontinental Fly title, and is expected to be easy pickings for the South American.
Campos had been destroying everything in his path in a 15 fight winning streak, before a points loss to world #1 Sunny Edwards in June of this year. The Chilean was only a fraction behind in that contest, and surely The Sniper represents a far easier task for him !!
But the Philippines national champion Ben Ligas will have other ideas, and as you can see from today's weigh in, he cuts an imposing figure and looks set to create a major upset in Australia tomorrow night.
Cracking card in Pangasinan tomorrow, highlighted even more so by this blistering main event - "the Sniper" Ben Ligas versus "the Cobra" Genisis Libranza.
Ligas is current national Flyweight champ with a 14-3 record, and takes on Libranza who has the amazing stats of 20-1.
Nobody is ducking anybody here !
Great main event for Pangasinan.
Two days to go !!
Lots of great fights in Pangasinan this Thursday, but especially excited for these main three.
Benny Ligas and Genisis Libranza have genuine claims to being the Philippines best Flyweight, as their records attest. This one is impossible to pick the winner with any confidence.
Jonniel Laurente is unbeaten, but he jumps hugely in class when he meets Pablito Canada, a guy that has delivered great performances at the very highest level. Canada has been in with JonJon Estrada, Richard Pumicpic and no less than Charly Suarez in recent bouts. And let's not forget that he also had a huge KO win over top unbeaten prospect Michael Casama not long ago - so this is a huge task for Laurente and one that will be a fantastic contest.
RoyRoy Sumugat and Richard Bulacan are two of the Philippines very best when they are "on", and be in zero doubt, both these guys will be prepped for killer performances this Thursday in Pangasinan.
Two championship bouts in one explosive event as Elorde UKC Promotions invades Bayambang, Pangasinan this coming March 30, 2023. Bienvenido Ligas will defend his RP Flyweight title against Genisis Libranza while RoyRoy Sumugat and Richard Bulacan will be slugging it out for the PBF Lightweight title.
This great pic was from the Reboot show way back in February 2021, and it was a major accomplishment by Mam Cucuy Elorde to pull it off!
Charly Suarez had been inactive (as were all local pinoy fighters) and the pandemic was proving to be a terrible time for many boxers who could not return home, and even worse, having a daily battle to feed themselves and their families.
VSP asked Mam Cucuy if it was possible to create a show so that Charly Suarez could resume his career. Despite all odds, she put together a great card that also unearthed another big talent - the Wolverine JonJon Estrada!
The event was aptly named Reboot "New Beginning" ,and even though there were only 5 bouts, and the boxers had to endure a "quarantine bubble", it was a lot of fun and marked the start of boxing again in the Philippines.
Boxers that starred at THE BEGINNING :
The Wolverine JonJon Estrada
King's Warrior Charly Suarez
Cerberus Lorenz Ladrada
Remon "Bad Bad" Basas
Ali "Carnage" Cañega
Apocalypse Glenn Bismanos
The Sniper Ben Ligas
The Bull Alphoe Dagayloan
The Prince Andrew Laurio
Ranny "the Cleaner" Quizo
Despite suffering narrow losses, Ben Ligas and Jules Victoriano produced next level performances in the belt fights in Vietnam last night.
Ligas faced the vastly experienced Uzbek, the much revered "mini Tyson " Olimjon Nazarov. This was quality boxing from both, with "the Sniper" bringing the cleaner punches, but perhaps lacking the aggression of Nazarov, who looked constantly keen for work. This was a hard match to score, as neither fighter was particularly dominant in a see sawing affair, and the body shot in the 11th where Ligas took a knee was perhaps the only real difference.
Dinh Hong Quan is physically indomitable, and with his height and reach, this improving Vietnam boxer is a task for anybody. It was anticipated that Jules Victoriano would give him his toughest test to date, and he definitely didn't disappoint !
This was a great fight, and is probably best viewed in two parts. Victoriano boxed beautifully in the early rounds, but despite landing nice shots, the Vietnam champ kept stealing rounds with some heavier and more direct landed shots. Quan also "appeared" more dominant, more frequently backing Victoriano up and putting him on to combos.
Going into the second half of the fight, Victoriano definitely lifted his output and accuracy, and even gave the Vietnam opponent a couple of "dig deep" moments !
This was an exciting and fantastic match up, that very easily could have been scored a draw, it was that evenly contested! There is no doubt that Dinh Hong Quan produced the best performance of his career last night, and this was really needed because of the beautiful boxing skills displayed by Jules Victoriano.
VSP would love to see these two great young fighters rematch at a later date, maybe on a bigger stage!
Post event, all smiles, and pictured are Coach Toto Laurente, Ben Ligas, VSP Vietnam boss Lim Song, and Jules Victoriano. Great job by all !
Philippines' Ben Ligas and Jules Victoriano looked in crazy shape at today's weigh in!
All boxers passed the scales without incident, and the stage is set for a huge night of boxing in Ho Tram Vietnam tomorrow night.
Ligas will fight Uzbekistan's "mini Tyson " Olimjon Nazarov for the WBO Oriental Flyweight championship. While reaching veteran status, Nazarov is still a boss in the ring, and has an amazing record of 27 wins in 32 fights. Philippines champ Ben Ligas has a height and reach advantage, and will need to use this to keep the Uzbek wizard on a leash.
Dinh Hong Quan is a typically Vietnamese fighter - long, lean and one super tough SOB!
Jules Victoriano represents his biggest challenge as a pro when the two meet for the IBF Asia Lightweight belt tomorrow night. Victoriano is a stylistic boxer with power, and whilst he is normally the taller boxer, this won't be the case against Quan.
This is a super match up, and perhaps the best yet seen in the short history of pro boxing in Vietnam !
Ben Ligas and Jules Victoriano are ready to fly out for HCMC Vietnam ahead of Saturday's big fight night in Ho Tram.
Ho Tram is a coastal area, about 150km south of HCMC, and the Grand Casino is proving a popular boxing venue.
HCMC is still working with crowd restrictions as a result of the pandemic, so non city areas are great choices for boxing events.
Local promoter Cocky Buffalo have a great card, highlighted by belt fights that include the two Elorde boxers.
National champ Ligas will fight outstanding Uzbekistan boxer Olimjon Nazarov, a winner of 27 fights, and is a world top 40.
Jules Victoriano and local Vietnam prospect Dinh Hong Quan will contest the IBF Asia Lightweight title, and this is sure to prove the highlight of Saturday's cracking card of bouts.
Safe travels boys!
Some cracking undercard bouts, and the inclusion of some foreign invaders, just to add flavour!
Nguyen Van Hai from Vietnam makes his first international pro appearance when he takes on home boy Jerald Into. Hai is a master at many fight forms, and though he hasn't boxed for some time, his clash with the unbeaten Into will be one of the highlights of ANNIHILATION UKC.
Linn Sandstrom promised a busy 2022, and the popular Swedish up and comer returns after a successful March appearance with Aisah Alico. She matches up with Thailand visitor Khwunchit Khunya.
Mickey Pengue from Australia is an outstanding type, but was derailed in a regional belt fight recently after damaging his ear drum in the opening round. He is on a quick back up in Paranaque, looking to steady the ship against the solid Gerry Patenio. The local boxer showed good signs in his last fight against tall timber Al Cañega, so will be no pushover for the impressive Aussie.
Roland Jay Biendima is a dynamo, and after a quality showing against national Flyweight champ Ben Ligas, he scored an emphatic win over Powell Balaba. Rest assured, he will be looking to carry on the good work when he meets Joel Taduran.
ANNIHILATION UKC
Elorde Sports Centre Paranaque Manila
Sunday August 7th
WATCH IT LIVE AT:https://www.facebook.com/VSPPromotion
Philippines Flyweight champion Ben "the Sniper" Ligas made amends for a scoring travesty in Cebu, with a classy title defense over Roland Jay Biendima.
The 112 division is stacked with talent right now, and there has been a lot of talk about who's next to challenge for Ligas' national crown.
But rumours are strong that the Philippines champion will be testing himself against international opposition at his next fight, an initiative that surely will see him an even more formidable foe for locals to deal with.
This will be a big news story breaking soon for sure.
Watch this space!
Thats the way you want to see a champ defend his title!
Ben Ligas looked all class in a near shutout win over Roland Jay Biendima. The Elorde boxer looked balanced and in control and set up beautiful combos off his enviable jab.
Biendima was one tough SOB as expected, and landed some nice shots of his own. He definitely had Ligas hurt a couple of times in this quality national championship bout.
The Wild Man Jino Rodrigo making international guests Linn Sandstrom and Jada feel welcome. When not a tour guide, the boisterous Rodrigo doubles as a boxer, and expect his clash with Roberto Gonzales to be one of the best of the day.
Can Jino get lucky two days in a row?
The three title fights all weighed in without problem, and all six boxers looked in magnificent shape.
Suarez v Mangubat WBA Asia title
Martin v Baldonado WBA Asia and RP title
Ligas v Biendima RP title
15 great fights Read all about them here:
https://www.vsppromotions.com//promotions/tiger-2022
Ben "the Sniper" Ligas suits up for his Philippines Flyweight title defense next Saturday in Paranaque.
Not only a boxer of high potential, Ligas doubles as a pretty useful model for the latest sports wear from the team at BE ATHLETIC !
The Sniper will defend his belt as one of the main undercard bouts to the huge Charly Suarez v Tomjune Mangubat WBA Asia clash.
TIGER 2O22 will play host to a mammoth 15 killer bouts, and many of the champion fighters will be dressed by BE ATHLETIC !
Lots of thanks to Raoul Navarrete and his hard working team for making these stars look their best.
Philippines national Flyweight champ Ben Ligas will be defending his title at TIGER 2O22 this March.
And if he doesn't win, who really cares, because he will be
WALKING TALL, LOOKING GOOD ! in this great design from the hard working team at
BE ATHLETIC.
Thanks to Raoul Navarrete and Be Athletic for supporting Philippines sports and Boxing.
Remember if you wanna look like a champ, Be Athletic will take care of you!
Two weeks out and the Philippines national Flyweight champ Ben Ligas is raring to go!"The Sniper" has trained well in preparation for his title defense, and in spite of losing two challengers along the way, has a battle on his hands with the very resilient Roland Jay Biendima.BEN LIGAS v ROLAND JAY BIENDIMARP Flyweight titleTIGER 2O22 Ultimate Knockout Challenge Paranaque, ManilaSaturday March 12thWATCH IT LIVE AT: https://www.facebook.com/VSPPromotion/
OK fight fans, here are three of the very best athletes that will be appearing at the upcoming TIGER 2O22 next month.
Arnel Baconaje, Jonathan Almacen and Benny Ligas pictured after yesterday morning's workout, and already looking ready for battle!
Baconaje is one of Philippines elite, and returns to the ring to match up with last start winner, and former Pacquiao sparring partner, Leonardo Doronio.
Jonathan Almacen is a quicksilver light flyweight, and has a much anticipated (and dangerous ) clash looming with the unbeaten John Paul Bentoso, a young killer who has posted all his wins by way of knockout !
Ben Ligas is all set to defend his Philippines national title, and the word is, he is training the house down!
Good luck boys, we know you will put on a great show!
TIGER 2O22 Ultimate Knockout Challenge
Paranaque, Manila
Saturday March 12th
Philippines flyweight champ Ben Ligas, seen combining hard work with smiles while training yesterday!
Ligas has a huge task confronting him this March when he defends his title against the precociously talented Jerven Mama. The Mindanao fighter known as "Iron Fist", is one of the rising stars of the Sanman stable, and he has his sights on returning home as the newly crowned national champ.
That's one side of the story!
Meanwhile in Manila, Ben "the Sniper" Ligas keeps toiling, keeps refining his tools to keep that belt from going south. And who better to work with than the OPBF champ Giemel Magramo, a winner of 25 fights including 20 by way of stoppage.
In the very best traditions of "tough love", let's not forget the old adage that "iron sharpens iron!"
We will see !
BEN LIGAS v JERVEN MAMA
Philippines Flyweight championship
TIGER 2022 Ultimate Knockout Challenge
Paranaque, Manila
Saturday March 12
WATCH IT HERE LIVE !!!
Jerven Mama and Ben Ligas are surely throwbacks to a bygone era, when real fighters were steered by the "duck nobody" policy! Their upcoming match will be for the Philippines flyweight title, where Ligas is the defending champion, and Mama is on a mission to take that mantle back to General Santos City. Both these outstanding young prospects have near identical records, and possess a common ideology :
"If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best!"
Philippines Flyweight title
BEN LIGAS v JERVEN MAMA
TIGER 2022 Ultimate Knockout Challenge
Paranaque, Manila
Saturday March 5
WATCH IT HERE LIVE !!
Ben "the Sniper" Ligas said he'd defend his national title against the very best, and he wasn't kidding! The call went out, and outstanding Sanman boxer Jerven Mama was quick to respond! This match up shapes as one of the best bouts of the year, showcasing two of the potential stars of Philippines boxing.
Ben Ligas (13w) v Jerven Mama (12 w)
TIGER 2022 Ultimate Knockout Challenge
Paranaque Manila
Saturday March 5
WATCH IT HERE LIVE !!
The Wonder Boy Carl Jammes Martin and Ben "the Sniper" Ligas were back at "the office" and hard at work today.
These boys star as the two big undercards at TIGER 2022 to the epic Suarez v Mangubat main event. And both have significant battles of their own!
Martin will fight for WBA south east asian strap, with a soon to be announced opponent.
Ben Ligas defends his national flyweight title against Sanman killer Jerven "Iron Fist" Mama. Sounds positively scary!
TIGER 2022 Ultimate Knockout Challenge
Paranaque, Manila
Saturday March 5th
The sport of boxing can throw up unusual and ambiguous results. Some would go further and argue inept - often even corrupt! And it is also an unfortunate reality that those outside the ring, those that adjudicate the results, often lack the resolve and the ability of the combatants inside the ropes! Ben “the Sniper” Ligas returns on March 5 hot on the heels of a superb 2021.
Ligas was fortunate to engage in three fantastic matches during the year, starting with a hard earned but deserved win in February against a really durable Alphoe Dagayloan. This match was nonstop punching, a smattering of skills, and really good moments for both fighters.
July saw Ligas take on outstanding prospect Miel Fajardo, and in what appeared to be a match too tough to pick on paper, the match fulfilled every expectation and then some. In what could have been easily “Fight of the Year”, Fajardo was equally energetic and brutal, putting The Sniper under constant duress. To his credit, Ligas’ composure and cool counter punching redressed the scoring imbalance, and signalled that he is a boxer of some promise. Fajardo had firepower on tap, and showed that he is a handful for any opponent, and he definitely has a big future.
Robbing jeepneys is not legal, but how about robbing boxers?
Ben Ligas ventured to Cebu in late October, and took on the unbeaten and feisty April Jay Abne. This was a really good quality action match, and predictably, Abne brought lots of energy to keep it entertaining. It must be said that Ligas technically took his opponent to school, and scored a comprehensive win against a more raw, yet willing opponent, It was a nice fight from Abne, who did his best to stay in the contest till the end, and did enjoy good moments of his own. His effort to take 3 rounds from Ligas shows promise of things to come. The official “result” was an unfortunate distraction to a great match between Abne and Ligas, and a sad reminder of what is all too common in boxing these days.
That was then, and this is now, and the big and breaking news is that the Sniper Ben Ligas is back March 5th. No sour grapes or hard luck stories, just big smiles and lots of heart, ensuring that you are going to see something special very soon!
The “Little Giant” Giovanni Escaner made his long awaited return in March of last year, matched up with the experienced veteran Albert Alcoy. The bout marked a ring absence of more than 2.5 years for the locally based star, but he never missed a beat, and won with a dominant round two stoppage. The win was his first since he defeated the outstanding Renoel Pael in a thriller back in 2019.
The win over Pael, a winner of 23 fights, highlighted the level that Escaner had to worked to in his professional career. It also put him back on the winners’ list, after a previous loss to top American Joshua Greer ended in a dramatic stoppage loss. That blip punctuated a 10 match winning streak for the “Little Giant”.
The fight between top US prospect Joshua Greer and Giovanni Escaner must surely have been one of the most dramatic in 2019. Greer appeared to be sailing towards a world title. With only one loss on his resume, to the unbeaten Stephen Fulton, Greer was expected to make a statement in the Escaner fight. But things didn’t go to plan for the high flying American. Escaner dropped Greer in the third round, and it really looked as if he was going to be finished off by the Little Giant. To his credit, Greer regained his senses, and in a to and fro round, managed to stop Escaner in round 8. The action was frenetic, and it seemed obvious that the Philippines fighter perhaps only got caught in his effort to drop the American for a second time. To illustrate the closeness of the bout, the judges had scores of 67-66 and 67-65 when the referee called a halt.
Giovanni Escaner has been sparring in Manila in preparation for his appearance at REVOLUTION on January30th, and if the rumours are correct, the Little Giant is back bigger, badder, and better than ever!!!”
UKC REVOLUTION
Sunday January 30th
Elorde Sports Complex Parañaque Manila
Full fight card coming soon.
This good looking Korean boy is only 19 years old, but already racked up 9 straight professional wins, including 5 KOs.
He is fearless and rapidly improving with every fight.
His trademark is that he is exciting to watch, as he is eager to constantly engage, and he is not afraid to take chances with big power shots!
Already ranked No.3 in Korea, it won't be long before his name is listed amongst the champions. He joined our last event Fortunes of War on Dec 10, 2022 @thegrandhotram and we would love to have him in our future matches.
His name is CHAN HO SONG
Check out his fight on our YouTube channel.
#vsppromotions #korean #boxingkorea #fortunesofwar #boxing #youngandfearless
The REVOLUTION has certainly gained momentum, with many of the Philippines' best looking to compete at the season opener.
Clarence Breboneria, Jetro Pabustan and Ronnie Baldonado are three of the confirmed starters, and based on today's picture, look well on track for fan pleasing performances later this month.
UKC REVOLUTION
Elorde Sports Centre Paranaque Manila
Sunday January 30th
@tue_tam_boxing (Nguyen Thi Tam) is definitely a girl that's got it all to make it as a professional boxer. As an amateur, she swept top spots in Vietnam and abroad. She is currently ranked #1 in the world in Boxrec as an amateur. There no more to prove in Amateur competitions. Is it time for her to go pro?
#nguyenthitam #victory8boxing #vsppromotions #boxingtraining #professional #proboxing #girlboxer
The REVOLUTION is officially in full swing, with news that ace bantamweight Ronnie Baldonado will be joining the card on January 30th.
The Mindanao boxer known as JongJong is one of the most exciting strikers in the Philippines, yet has been in relatve obscurity since 2019 due to inactivity.
It's almost ironic that he finally returned in 2022 to two losses, but the merit in the performances provides insight that 2023 will showcase the best version of Baldonado yet seen !
Ronnie Baldonado returned after a 3 year break, jumped weight classes, and took on one of the Philippines most promising fighters Carl Jammes Martin. It's fair to say that JongJong dominated the early stages of that match, even putting Wonder Boy on his butt, before tiring late in the contest. It was a fantastic comeback performance by Baldonado, and was followed up by a points loss in Japan to hot prospect Sho Ishida, a winner of 31 bouts.
2023 provides a fresh start for Baldonado, who at only 26, and having experienced a 3 years break from the sport, is an improving young fighter that is extremely compelling to watch.
So expect to see Ronnie Baldonado turn up on January 30th with all guns blazing !
More updates on the REVOLUTION fight card coming soon.
Jetro Pabustan is the latest to lend his consummate fight talents to the Revolution event in Manila this January 30.
The high level Mindanao southpaw is eyeing off international challenges this year, and is well qualified to do so. A winner of 31 bouts, the Silent Operator has the distinction of being a regional belt winner and also WBO world title contender. Pabustan had two foreign assignments last year, and performed admirably in both.
In August, he dropped a highly debated points decision in the States to the top level Tramaine Williams, in a match where he appeared to outwork and outland the American.
More recently, Pabustan competed in an exhibition bout in Vietnam against cult fugure Le Hoang Hiep, and in a really entertaining contest, he looked good in the unfamiliar four round format.
Jetro Pabustan was last seen in Manila winning against top prospect Brian Tamayo, and it will be great to see him kick off his 2O23 campaign on the classy Revolution card on January 30th.
REVOLUTION full fight card announcement coming soon.
January 30 locked in.
And so is one of the Philippines' most chaotic fighters of all time - the man who wrote the book
"DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES"
Yes it's THE WOLVERINE JonJon Estrada
Full fight card coming soon.
A meteroic two years for the King's Warrior Charly Suarez, a Philippines amateur star and relative late comer to the professional ranks.
Since January 2021 Suarez has had 10 fights,10 wins, a Philippines national title, and also WBA and IBF Regional titles.
Now Philippines #1 and World #52
And you ain't seen nothing yet !
1. Each round shall consist of a three (3) minute duration, with a one (1) minute rest period between rounds.
2. The referee is the sole arbiter of a bout and is the only individual authorized to stop a contest. This rule shall not preclude a video or other review of a decision under the procedures of the applicable regulatory authority if a protest is filed claiming a clear rule violation.
3. All bouts will be evaluated and scored by three (3) judges.
4. The 10 Point Must System will be the standard system of scoring a bout.
5. The Mandatory Eight (8) Count after knockdowns will be standard procedure in all bouts.
6. All professional boxers are required to wear a mouthpiece during competition. The round cannot begin without the mouthpiece. If the mouthpiece is dislodged during competition, the referee will call time and have the mouthpiece replaced at the first opportune moment, without interfering with the immediate action. Points may be deducted by the referee if he feels the mouthpiece is being purposely spit out.
7. There is NO Standing Eight (8) Count.
8. There is NO Three (3) Knockdown Rule.
9. A boxer shall receive a twenty (20) second count if the boxer is knocked out of the ring. The boxer is to be unassisted by spectators or his/her seconds. If assisted by anyone, the boxer may lose points or be disqualified with such a decision being within the sole discretion of the referee.
10. A boxer who has been knocked down cannot be saved by the bell in any round.
11. If a boxer sustains an injury from a fair blow and the injury is severe enough to terminate the bout, the injured boxer shall lose by TKO.
12. Injuries sustained by Fouls:
A. Intentional Fouls
B. Accidental Fouls
a. Partial or incomplete rounds will be scored. If no action has occurred, the round should be scored as an even round. This is at the discretion of the judges.
13. A fighter who is hit with an accidental low blow must continue after a reasonable amount of time but no more than five (5) minutes, or he/she will lose the fight.
Mindanao's Jetro Pabustan will kick start his 2023 campaign with a Manila bout on January 30.
The Silent Operator has made no secret of his ambitions to work toward a title fight again, and is working hard to get the year started on the right foot.
Jetro Pabustan recently competed in Vietnam against local cult boxer Le Hoang Hiep, so is sure to embrace the new year in career best shape.
One of the Philippines best performed international fighters of recent years Mark John Yap will treat boxing fans to the best new year's present possible - a Manila appearance on January 30 as a prelude to looking towards bigger overseas fights in 2023.
Yap returned home and put in a high quality performance in a WBA title clash with Charly Suarez, before overcoming PNG hard man Junior Kauko Raka in October of this year.
More recently, the star pinoy featured in a big show in Vietnam where he battled young gun Phan Minh Quân. The bout was unfortunately stopped due to an accidental head clash, with the cut requiring the CDO boxer to be stitched after the fight.
Not one to be deterred easily, Mark John Yap has informed that he will be in killer form on January 30 and he advises potential opponents - beware the Journey Man!
Many great performances from Vietnam fighters before the pandemic, and now things are returning to normal again, who will be the shining lights in 2023 ?
Study the styles and performances of many of Vietnam's best boxers at the VSP Promotions You Tube site :
Charly Suarez has had a busy 2 years since turning professional.
Check this out :
14 fights
14 wins
WBA Asia title
RP National title
IBF Asia title
And we aren't slowing down in 2023 !
Expect to see the King's Warrior back in the ring and doing what he does best this coming March.
Charly Suarez wins the IBF Asia belt over Indonesia #1 and former WBC regional champion Defry Palulu :
JonJon Estrada is set for a January 30 return to the ring, after a dominant performance in Vietnam earlier this month.
News on an opponent and January fight card coming soon.
THE NEW IBF ASIA CHAMPION CHARLY SUAREZ
Another torrid test for Vietnam Lightweight champion Quân, who had to dig deep after having issues making weight.
Arnel "the Silencer" Baconaje provided constant pressure with his accuracy and power shots, which were definitely not accurately reflected on the scorecards.
The King's Warrior now owns both IBF and WBA Asia titles with this superb performance against Indonesia’s Defry Palulu.
This was shaping to be a rugged clash, unfortunately cut short due to an eye injury caused by a Suarez right hand in the second round.
That's Boxing - but still a great result for the Philippines and Team Suarez.
VSP Promotions are looking towards doing many more events next year after the recent success of "Fortunes of War".
VSP Boxing will host 10 events in 2023 for local Vietnam boxers who are wanting to join the pro ranks. These will kick off in February.
We will also be doing 3 big international shows bring top foreign boxers into Vietnam - the first of these being scheduled for March.
And Victory8 will be back !
Think Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi and 25,000 people!
More updates on a massive 2O23 coming soon !
Former HCMC youth champ jumps to the big stage and takes on the might of 3x OPBF winner Mark John Yap.
Super entertaining bout that was unfortunately stopped early due to a head cut to the Philippines star.
Charly Suarez is rapidly running out of opposition on his way to a world title.
This guy from Japan is useful, he is in the region, and ranked #9 in the world.
So c'mon Japan, stop hiding, let's get this done in March - Suarez should be easy for you !!!
Hanoi Hitman takes on unbeaten Indonesian prospect Paisal "Geronimo" Panjaitan.
Both fighters were looking for the KNOCKOUT !
Crazy Junior King Kong aka Young Blood and former Russian gang member Le Hoang Hiep jumps two weight classes and meets Philippines' Jetro Pabustan in centre ring.
Pabustan is a winner of 31 fights and previously contested a WBO World Title.
Opening bout action between the merciless Wolverine JonJon Estrada and Muay Thai champ "Nak Su" Thai Hoang Huy.
Estrada brings his trademark violence to Vietnam!
Philippines Mark John Yap received a solid workout at Fortunes of War, a great bout unfortunately cut short in round 3 due to accidental head clash.
Yap and Vietnam opponent Phan Minh Quân both enjoyed good moments early on, with the pinoy star getting a cut above the right eye very late in round one.
The Philippines boxer got the best of the second round, and the fighters followed that with toe to toe action, only to be halted by the ring doctor shortly after.
This was a great display by former HCMC youth boxer Quân, who clearly relished the challenge of fighting an established star like Mark John Yap.
You can watch the full fight here :
JonJon Estrada enjoys the flowers and trophy moments after experiencing his first time victory in Vietnam. The Wolverine debuted in the only way he knows how - with a stoppage win, over local Muay Thai fighter Thai Hoang Huy. Estrada appeared very relaxed in the opening round, yet dropped his Vietnam opponent with a two punch combo. He then closed the show in the 4th round with Thai Hoang Huy unable to answer the Wolverine's beserk attack while pinned to the ropes.
Hanoi strong man Nguyễn Văn Hải made an impressive return to the professional arena, stunning unbeaten Indonesian Paisal Panjaitan with a stoppage victory.
The bout began quite evenly, with the visitor boxing carefully, and even dictating ring position, but then BOOM!
The Indonesian fighter began to launch heavy shots at Nguyễn Văn Hải, and found himself side on to his Vietnam nemesis. Quick to sieze the moment, Hải unleashed a perfect left hook to surprise the chin of Panjaitan.
It was a superb performance from Nguyễn Văn Hải against a confident and unbeaten opponent. His distance and timing were a big improvement on his loss in Manila, which was also against an unbeaten prospect named Jerald Into.
The Hanoi champion advances to 3 wins and 1 loss, and appears a potential professional star for Vietnam boxing.
FORTUNES OF WAR FIGHT REPLAYS
All the action from 7 great bouts at The Grand Ho Tram Resort and Casino :
Last night in Vietnam, Philippine Army enlisted personnel Charly Suarez won the IBF Asia title with an impressive but unfortunate victory.
The King's Warrior boxed just two rounds with Indonesia’s champion Defry Palulu and undoubtedly looked all class and set the scene for a spectacular battle.
Unfortunately, in the second round, southpaw Palulu suffered some eye damage that required the ring doctor to stop the fight.
Charly Suarez is now confirmed ruler of Asia, owning both the WBA and IBF belts.
Before joining the Army's regular duty in July 2022, Private Suarez was a reserve Staff Sergeant, as may be remembered.
Private Suarez was named WBA Asia's Boxer of the Month for March 2022. Suarez competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil and won gold medals in various boxing events at the Southeast Asian Games in 2009, 2011, 2019, and 2022.
His coach is army reservist 1st Lieutenant Delfin Boholst.
Setting up now for tonight's Fortunes of War show at The Grand Ho Tram Resort and Casino in Vietnam.
We start:
5.30 First fight at 6pm (Vietnam)
WATCH IT HERE LIVE !!!!!
Paisal Panjaitan and Defry Palulu send out dire warnings poolside at The Grand Ho Tram Resort and Casino today.
"TONIGHT, I SMASH YOUR BOYS !"
was the echo heard loud and clear at a fight day interview session with Aussie fight caller Ben Mcculloch.
Panjaitan will battle Vietnam fight legend Nguyễn Văn Hải, whilst former WBC belt holder Defry Palulu takes in the Philippines Charly Suarez for the IBF Asia title.
Main event boys Dinh Hong Quân and Arnel Baconaje ready to tear up the Ho Tram Strip.
Philippines Baconaje has vowed to return home with the IBF Asia title.
We are sure Vietnam's champ has other ideas !
CEO of The Grand Ho Tram Resort and Casino, Mr. Walt Power, talks to Vietnam media about the Fortunes of War event to be held tomorrow night at his hotel.
Defry Palulu 58.9kg (Indonesia)
Charly Suarez 58.7kg (Philippines)
Arnel Baconaje 61.2kg (Philippines)
Vietnam's Dinh Hong Quân weighed in heavy at 62.6kg, so is unable to defend the IBF Asia belt.
The match will still prove to be a significant task for Baconaje, who must defeat Quân if he wants to be crowned champion.
Three of the Vietnam killers at tomorrow night's big Fortunes of War show in Ho Tram.
Nguyễn Văn Hải, Dinh Hong Quân and Thai Hoang Huy (pictured) will be joined by Phan Minh Quân and Le Hoàng Hiệp to form a great Vietnam team at today's weigh in and media day.
Paisal Panjaitan 61.0kg (Indonesia)
Nguyễn Văn Hải 61.2kg (Vietnam)
Phan Minh Quân 58.9kg (Vietnam)
Mark John Yap 59.2kg (Philippines)
Le Hoang Hiep 53.8kg (Vietnam)
Jetro Pabustan 55.2kg (Philippines)
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
Thai Hoang Huy 57.2kg (Vietnam)
JonJon Estrada 56.9kg (Philippines)
Jetro Pabustan, JonJon Estrada and Mark John Yap looking impossibly handsome and ready for Fortunes of War this morning in Ho Tram.
GIRLS - TAKE A TICKET AND WAIT YOUR TURN !
Vietnam Tiger Thai Hoang Huy meets his hero "The Wolverine" Jonjon Estrada for the first time today.
Vietnam and Philippines are great competitors, and today's friends will be fierce combatants at FORTUNES OF WAR this Saturday at The Grand Ho Tram Resort.
THREE WISE MONKEYS SPEAK NO EVIL
Deeds speak louder than words, and these three killers plan to do their talking in the ring this Saturday night at FORTUNES OF WAR in Ho Tram Vietnam.
Jetro Pabustan, JonJon Estrada and Mark John Yap enjoy a healthy meal and will leave for The Grand Ho Tram later today.
The trio have promised fight fans they will bring all guns loaded and put on a display that fight fans will never forget.
FORTUNES OF WAR
The Grand Ho Tram Resort and Casino
Saturday December 10
WATCH IT HERE LIVE !!
*story courtesy Vietnam News
In his 12th pro match, IBF Asia lightweight champion Đinh Hồng Quân will face Arnel Baconaje of the Philippines over 12 rounds. It is his second time defending his belt. Last July, he defeated Jules Victoriano of the Philippines unanimously.
HÀ NỘI — A blockbuster "Fortunes of War" boxing event will bring together Asia's best fighters in 12 bouts, including three title matches, sanctioned by the IBF and WBO on December 10 at The Grand Hồ Tràm Strip, Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province.
In his 12th pro match, IBF Asia lightweight champion Đinh Hồng Quân will face Arnel Baconaje of the Philippines over 12 rounds. It is his second time defending his belt. Last July, he defeated Jules Victoriano of the Philippines unanimously.
The rising Vietnamese star does have a size advantage. Quân has recorded nine wins (4KOs), one draw and one loss (KO).
At 24, 'Black Eagle' Quân is younger than his rival and stands at No 189 in the world, 43 places higher than Baconaje.
However, 'The Silencer' Baconaje has bowled over some of the Philippines' biggest and best stars. Of his 15 wins, 11 came by knockout. The 29-year-old has suffered five losses, three by knockout.
Baconaje has thoroughly prepared by training with the famous fighter "Japanese monster" Naoya Inoue.
Quân completed a training camp in South Korea before having an intensive training camp with legendary Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines.
"I feel in way better shape, my camp has been good, and being able to train with a legend like Manny Pacquiao has helped me a lot," said Quân.
"He is a model of hard work to succeed in boxing, as well as an example of rising up in boxing. Professionally, I learn, practise and improve my abilities to prepare well for the upcoming matches. I won't let people down."
Quân said that Pacquiao advised him a lot. In particular, the most memorable is the practice motto "fight hard, complete the exercises and always have faith".
"Everybody will see a far better Đinh Hồng Quân this time, and I already know I will beat Arnel Baconaje. I am excited about it. I am very happy to have the challenge of stopping a top fighter like Baconaje in front of my home country," he said.
The second title match is between IBF Asia super-featherweight Charly Suarez of the Philippines and Indonesian Defry Palulu in a 12-round bout.
Their match was scheduled in March 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Suarez is a three-time SEA Games champion who won the 2014 Asian Games silver. He turned pro in 2019 and impressed the community with 13 wins with seven KOs.
Suarez has stayed busy this year as he fought for the WBA Asia title in March and defended it twice in July and October. He also won the Philippines national title in the process.
Palulu is currently No 1 in his country. He places 162 in the world with a record of 25 wins, two draws and two losses. He took the IBO Asia Pacific and WBC Asian Boxing Council super-featherweight belts in 2019.
"The Unseen Hammer" is in career-best shape and has been working on angles and power shots to halt the meteoric rise of Suarez.
"That is our plan. Team Palulu have worked very hard for this, and we will not let this opportunity slip," he said on vsppromotions.com.
"Suarez does not have the power to hurt me, or even hold me off. But I know when I catch him, he will go down. Indonesia will have a new champion on December 10."
The third title match is between South Korean Song Chan Ho and Thai Anusong Thonglueang, who will defend his WBO Oriental Youth super-lightweight belt across 10 rounds.
Song, 19, unbeaten in eight fights, is certainly living up to his "Purge Boy" ring name.
He is fast and has a high work rate, nice footwork, and works some clever angles. He is durable and is developing some power to go with his accurate hands.
Tàu City.
Thonglueang, 18, has already created media attention in Thailand, where he has put together 12 wins (9KOs) with only one loss in extra quick time. He is a dynamic all-action fighter and knows how to be effective inside the ropes.
Other matches with Vietnamese fighters are between Nguyễn Văn Hải vs Paisal Panjaitan of Indonesia in the lightweight class in four rounds; Phạm Minh Quân vs Mark John Yap of the Philippines in the super-featherweight in four rounds; Lê Hoàng Hiệp vs Jetro Pabustan of the Philippines in the super-bantamweight in four rounds and Thái Hoàng Huy vs JonJon Estrada of the Philippines in the featherweight in four rounds.
Fortunes of War is organised by Việt Nam's top boxing units of VSP Promotions and Cocky Buffalo with support from Vietcontent, the leading sports content in Việt Nam. VNS
Attitude and personality goes a long way, and Vietnam young gun Le Hoang Hiep has these attributes and much, much more !
The audacious Hiep will jump 3 weight classes this Saturday and tackle Philippines Jetro Pabustan head on.
Anyone who knows the character of Vietnamese people, knows that they love to be challenged, and this Saturday, Hiep gets to go and try 4 rounds in the lion's cage with the Silent Operator !
Young Blood will very definitely need to bring his very best KING KONG to the ring at Fortunes of War.
NEWS FROM WEBTHETHAO
Professional boxing events in Vietnam began to rekindle in the period of 2015, when management units such as Vietnam Boxing Federation (VBF) or Ho Chi Minh City Boxing Federation. Ho Chi Minh City (HBF) organizes this form of competition, with the participation of famous boxers in the domestic amateur boxing village. After that, promotion companies began to appear with names like VSP Promotions, Cocky Buffalo, Saigon Sports Club, VBC, Trigger Boxing... continued to appear to bring more national elements. economic: events, title matches, friendlies.
However, it was not until 2018, when the promoters really embarked on a comprehensive approach, at this time, the challenge for the development of professional boxing began to really appear.
To be recognized at the professional level, competitions must be under the supervision of organizations capable of recognizing professional achievements around the world. This supervision is based on the rules - the rules of the game (regulations) are specified in the operating regulations of professional organizations such as WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF...
In Vietnam, the presence of these organizations is not much. Therefore, boxers have only one option: to conduct tours in countries with developed boxing backgrounds such as Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, ... to be recognized for their achievements. However, the issue of funding, training procedures - competing with Vietnamese boxers is not a simple problem, despite the participation of experienced promotion companies in the region.
As a result, promoters have opted for a more pragmatic approach: organizing events right in Vietnam. To do this, they need to contact to get the approval of professional organizations in the world, through sending professional teams, supervising the organization and competition of martial arts.
Since 2019, units like VSP Promotions have made their mark with a series of events such as Victory 8, VSP Pro,... bringing Vietnamese boxers to participate in professional matches at home, recognizing their achievements. in the international system, gradually removing barriers for boxers who want to pursue this path.
From professional events, title fights began to appear. Victory 8: Legend of Hoan Kiem with the title of WBA East Asia; events of IBF, WBO at The Grand Ho Tram Strip with champions Dinh Hong Quan, Song Chan Ho... and here comes Fortunes of War with 3 matches for WBO - IBF title in weight classes on 10th December.
Not only for boxers, bringing international events to Vietnam also creates opportunities for domestic professionals, namely management units, referees, supervisors, etc. exposure to professional environment according to world standards. From there, events in Vietnam will gradually move to international level - something we all want in the development of all sports.
Following the success of two title events in April and July, Fortunes of War witnessed the title defense of the IBF Asian champion - "Black Hawk" Dinh Hong Quan in his 11th fight. The fighter born in 1998 will face the boxer from the Philippines - "Silent Assassin" Arnel Baconaje.
In addition to the defense of the IBF Asian lightweight title between Dinh Hong Quan and Arnel Baconjae, Charly Suarez - a three-time SEA Games gold medalist and silver medalist at ASIAD 2014 will welcome an opponent from Indonesia - Defry Palulu for the IBF title. Asian super-featherweight.
Previously, WBO Oriental champion from Korea - Song Chan Ho will face Thai boxer Anusong Thonglueang in his title defense match. The competition took place over 10 rounds in the super-lightweight division.
In addition to the three matches/defending of the IBF and WBO belts, Fortunes Of War also witnessed the return of Vietnamese boxing monument Nguyen Van Hai, promising fighters Le Hoang Hiep, Thai Hoang Huy or Pham Minh Quan before the competition. boxers from Indonesia and the Philippines.
List of matches at Fortunes of War on December 10:
Dinh Hong Quan (c) vs. Arnel Baconaje - IBF Asian lightweight title defense (12 rounds)
Charly Suarez vs. Defry Paululu - IBF Asian Super-featherweight Championship (12 rounds)
Nguyen Van Hai vs. Paisal Panjaitan - Lightweight (4 rounds)
Phan Minh Quan vs. Mark John Yap - Super-featherweight (4 rounds)
Song Chan Ho vs. Anusong Thonglueang - Defending the WBO Oriental Youth super-lightweight title (10 rounds)
Le Hoang Hiep vs. Jetro Pabustan - Super-bantamweight (4 rounds)
Thai Hoang Huy vs. JonJon Estrada - Featherweight (4 rounds)
Jonjon Estrada was recently ranked #1 in the Philippines for Featherweight division. Listen to his experience and what he thinks about Vietnam and the upcoming fight.
The Wolverine is in stone cold menacing form at today's media day !
JonJon Estrada confirmed at today's interview that there will be no mercy coming for his Vietnam opponent :
"The Wolverine is ready to go BESERK !"
JonJon Estrada v Thai Hoang Huy
4 rounds Featherweight 57kg
FORTUNES OF WAR
The Grand Ho Tram Resort and Casino
Saturday December 10
Live from 6pm Vietnam 7pm Philippines
Philippines' Arnel Baconaje "The Silencer" is flexing up at media day at VSP Boxing Gym.
Baconaje will fight Vietnam champion Dinh Hong Quân for the IBFbelt at The Grand Ho Tram Resort in Vietnam this Saturday.
Fortunes of War promoter Mr. Sang Bum Kim joined by Australia's former world rated champion Ben "the Juicer "Mcculloch and Vietnam royalty Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hải.
All three of these killers will head to The Grand Ho Tram later this week in preparation for the big show.
GET READY FOR WAR !!! YEE-HAHHHHH !!!!
