Andrian KOs Thai to retain title
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Andrian Kaspari pounded out an impressive third-round knockout victory over Thailand's Sairung Suwannasin to retain his International Boxing Federation Intercontinental bantamweight title in Surabaya Saturday.
An attack-minded Andrian came charging at Sairung from the opening bell, pummeling the Thai with a flurry of right and left combinations to the head and body.
He landed a series of straights and hooks that sent the southpaw Sairung reeling into the ropes midway through the first round. Another left hook dropped Sairung to the canvas.
The Thai struggled to regain his feet at the count of seven only to crumble again seconds later when the hard-hitting champion connected with another booming hook.
The game but completely outboxed Sairung got to his feet at the count of eight.
He appeared to get his second wind as he matched Andrian blow for blow in a ferociously fought second round that had the crowd at the Go Skate Sports Hall on their feet.
The round saw the two pugilists trading blows in an action- packed slugfest.
But the third round belonged completely to the title holder.
With the partisan spectators chanting his name and stamping their feet every time he connected, Andrian landed a right-left- right combination that left Sairung staggering up against the ropes. He followed up with a barrage of razor-sharp hooks and uppercuts that sent the Thai sprawling on the canvas.
Dazed and hurt, Sairung tried in vain to beat the count to a tremendous roar from the spectators.
Thailand's Somsak Singchatwal made up for his compatriot's defeat by dethroning Indonesia's IBF Intercontinental junior- bantamweight titleholder Ricky Matulesi in the night's second championship fight.
Top contender Somsak scored a technical knockout win two minutes into the ninth round when the referee stopped the contest after the Thai landed 12 unanswered punches rendering the champion helpless on the ropes.
On the undercard, Indonesia's Ibrahim and Ajib Akbarado prevailed over their Russian opponents in non-title bouts.
Ibrahim outpointed Anatoly Kvitko in a 10-round lightweight contest, while flyweight Ajib stopped Vadim Gabriellan in the fifth round.
The fights were watched by IBF president Robert Lee. Also on hand were leading Indonesian fight promoter Boy Bolang and noted boxing commentator and columnist Syamsul Anwar Harahap. (bas)