MANILA – Negrense boxer Ryan Sermona failed to clinch the IBF Asia welterweight belt after a fourth round technical knockout loss to Indonesian Rivo Kundimang in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The defeat was heartbreaker for the Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental native as it was his third time to be beaten while fighting for an international boxing title.
Sermona failed to defend his WBC International Super featherweight belt in 2014 and was also beaten in his WBC EPBC super featherweight bout and OPBF lightweight bout.
Kundimang has been dominant since the opening bell as he unloaded several combinations on Sermona before the referee decided to step in midway in the fourth round.
With the loss, the 31-year-old Sermona saw his boxing slate slid down to 21-10-1 win-loss-draw, with 14 knockout wins, while the 22-year-old Kundimang increased his record to 9-0-1 with five stoppage wins.
Meanwhile, Vincent Astrolabio emerged as the new WBC Oriental bantamweight champion after scoring a ninth round technical knockout win over Indonesian Patrick Llukuto.
Filipino Romshane Sarguilla, on the other hand, failed to bag the WBA Asia light flyweight championship following a seventh round majority decision loss to Indon Andika./PN
