MANILA – Robert Landero failed to clinch the World Boxing Council (WBC) International light flyweight belt after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Indonesian Tibo Monabesa on Wednesday night at Balai Sarbini Convention Hall in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Negrense boxer was able to engage in the much taller Monabesa into a slugfest but it was the Indonesian who got the three judges’ nod, 115-113, 117-111, 116-112.
In the opening round, both fighters were testing each other with a minimal exchange of punches before Landero increased the tempo in the second round where most of his attacks were wayward.
Monabesa governed the next three rounds with his long-range punches against the opponent. He attacked the Negrense with straight punches to the head and jabs to the body.
During the sixth round, the Indonesian fighter showered the Filipino puncher with power hits, but the latter regained his strength and gave the former headshots in the seventh round.
Landero engaged Monabesa to a slugfest in the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth rounds. The Filipino boxer was able to wobble the Indonesian several times, but the latter managed to stand his ground.
With the match still hanging in the balance, Monabesa became aggressive anew in the 11th round where he unloaded volume punches to the drained Landero.
Both fighters continued their exchange of punches in the 12th and final rounds, but it was Monabesa who connected power hits to secure the victory.
Monabesa, who is also the International Boxing Organization world light flyweight champion, improved his boxing slate to 21-1-0 win-loss-draw, including eight stoppage wins. Landero, on the other hand, saw his boxing record dropped to 11-5-2, including two victories by knockouts. This was also the Negrense’s fourth defeat in the last five matches./PN
