By Rey Danseco

Flyweight Celso Danggod and junior lightweight Baby Lorona Jr,. both of the Philippines became the first Filipino world champions in their respective weight divisions under the World Boxing Empire (WBE), Friday night at the Yñares Center in Antipolo City.

Danggod, a veteran brawler from Dante S. Almario Stable in Muntinlupa City, earned a 12 round unanimous decision win against compatriot Sukarno “Master Showman” Banjao, a Cadiz-born fighter of Bebot Elorde Jr Stable in Paranaque City.

With a point deducted against Banjao (18-10-1, 13 KOs) due to a cut on Danggod’s left eyebrow from accidental clash of heads at the end of the 7th round, the judges tallied 114-113, 116-111 and 118-112 all in favor of Danggod (34-21-13, 12 KOs).

In the main event of the card called “Bakbakan sa Antipolo”, Elorde’s other veteran fighter, Lorona (37-20-5, 20 KOs), captured the vacant WBE junior lightweight throne when his Thai foe Darathai Sitoh surrendered. Upon surrendering, the ring physician Dr. Nasser Cruz deemed Sitoh unfit to continue at 1:52 of the 4th round.

Sitoh, who said his real name is Vihai Homiam, suffered a dislocated joint in his right elbow after he tried to defend himself against Lorona’s combinations while trapped in the neutral corner.

The Lorona-Sitoh collision will be televised on primetime from 9 to 10 p.m on Monday over IBC-13 while the other bouts in the card of Elorde and Governor Ito Yñares of Rizal will be shown by weekly Ringside @ Elorde boxing program from 11 p.m over NBN Channel 4 on Saturday, this writer will be one of the commentators.

Danggod, also the holder of Philippine Boxing Federation flyweight title, became the 12th current WBE world champion, next to his stablemate Jun Arlos and Lorona 13th.

On the undercard, Jonel Alibio (3-2, 2 KOs) dominated Japanese fighter Yosuke Takeuchi to earn a unanimous decision win over four rounds in their fight within the super-bantam class. The all-Filipino judges had it 39-36, 38-37 at 39-37, all in favor of the Filipino.

Knockout artist Rey Labao (6-0, 5 KOs) moves closer to becoming a featherweight prospect when he grabbed a 3rd round TKO win over Ramon Broñola, who was reported as Ramon Broniola.

Labao, a 5-foot-7 southpaw, scored a knockdown under a minute left in the opening round, staggered Broñola with right upper cut and series of left hooks in the third round. Broñola retired on his stool and refused to fight in the fourth of scheduled 6-rounder.

Other results: Gerry Duaso got a back-to-back split decision win over Steve Dimaisip. Draian Francisco improved to 2-0, 2 KOs, when he scored another 2nd round stoppage of hapless Joshua Manzano (0-2) while 5-foot-5 bantam Johary Rosia wins his pro-debut via a well-received unanimous decision in 4 rounds against fellow 21-year old Ronilo Sermona (2-3).

Arlos won the vacant WBE junior flyweight crown and became the first world titlist in Asia under the the 4-year old boxing body with headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. He took a unanimous decision win to capture the 108-lb crown last April against fellow Filipino Philip Parcon in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.