by Ronnie Nathanielsz

World Boxing Council No. 4 ranked Randy Petalcorin has won a shutout ten-round decision over Donnie Mabao regarded as a tough journeyman in a  fight in Iligan City.

Petalcorin who is ranked No. 14 by the IBF boxed brilliantly to win every round against Mabao who came in two pounds heavier than Petalcorin but it made no difference to the fleet-footed Petalcorin whose hand-speed and skills were too much for Mabao.

After the impressive showing of Petalcorin, his co-manager, well known Australian promoter Peter Maniatis who handles Petalcorin along with Jim Manangquil  told The Manila Standard that he had “respectfully issued a challenge to reigning WBC champion Ganigan Lopez to fight the Filipino southpaw in Australia, the Philippines or even Mexico. “

Maniatis added that Petalcorin was also ready to face Japan’s IBF champion Akira Yaegashi.

Since his hugely controversial split decision loss to Australia-based  Tanzanian Omari Kimweri in a battle for the WBC flyweight Silver title last April 15 after Petalcorin had relinquished  his WBA light flyweight  Interim title to face Kimweri for the WBC belt.

Immediately after the fight P etalcorin's co-managers Jim Claude Manangquil, the youthful  CEO of Sanman Promotions  and multi-titled Australian promoter Peter Maniatis t filed a protest with the WBC and cited several discrepancies.

The most bizarre was the performance of referee Malcolm Bulner , a naturalized Australian from  Sri Lanka  who failed to count at least four knockdowns scored by Petalcorin at the Melbourne Pavilion, raising a howl of protest from the Filipino’s co-, managers and Filipino media people.

In a telephone call with The Standard shortly after the fight Maniatis said the split decision in favor of Omari Kimweri was a travesty .

Highlights of the fight posted on Facebook clearly showed the knockdowns which Bulner unbelievably failed to count.

Another issue that surfaced was why aside from Bulner being the referee his wife Samanta was a  judge who aided her husband by voting for Kimweri and the fact that two of the rounds were substantially less than the stipulated three minutes.

Petalcorin has returned to the Sanman Gym in General Santos City and according to Maniatis “has been training very hard and getting in the best shape of his life for a possible world title shot.”