Jade Bornea remained unbeaten after 18 fights as the world No. 1 super-flyweight stopped Mexican Ivan Meneses in the seventh round in La Paz, Mexico.
Bornea landed a whopping overhand right that momentarily froze Meneses, the impact of the blow sending sprays of sweat into the air.
Sensing that his foe was badly hurt, Bornea threw a another right to the side of the body.
The punch looked as if it struck the back of Meneses but it actually rammed the ribcage before scraping towards the back.
“We’ve been hitting Meneses body all fight long and he just couldn’t take it anymore,” Ernel Fontannila, one of Bornea’s trainers, told Daily Tribune.
“Jade boxed according to plan, which is to use all his skills as deemed necessary without sacrificing his safety,” the tactical Ting Ariosa, also a Bornea cornerman, said.
Ariosa, who formally called the shots for the Philippine amateur squad, said the fast-rising General Santos Cty-bred puncher “did very well in striking the bigger opponent’s body and head.”
“The stoppage was just a bonus,” he added.
With the win, Bornea raised his record to 18-0 with 12 victories inside the distance and it moved himself closer to a shot at the International Boxing Federation 115-lb jewels.
JC Mananquil, who promotes Bornea, said the next move is to wait for the crucial 8 October showdown between Argentine champion Fernando Martinez and ex-titleholder Jerwin Ancajas in Los Angeles.
The winner is mandated to risk the title against Bornea.
“Definitely, we will gun for the world title,” Mananquil added.
