TOKYO, Japan — Unbeaten Filipino flyweight Dave Apolinario scored a dramatic fourth-round knockout of Tanes Ongjuntan of Thailand Thursday night at the Korakuen Hall.
After suffering a knockdown in the third canto, courtesy of a sneaky counter right from Ongjuntan, Apolinario roared back to life, sending his foe down with a left straight.
Although Ongjuntan got up, Apolinario went after him like a mad man and a mighty right uppercut produced a highlight-reel knockdown.
And while the beleaguered and dazed Ongjuntan managed to beat the referee’s count, the third man on the ring decided to pull the plug.
Mike Pelayo, who manages Apolinario, told a handful of Manila-based reporters that a world title fight should be next in line.
“He is on the brink of a world title shot,” an ecstatic Pelayo said.
The win boosted Apolinario’s record to 20-0 with 14 knockouts while the loss dropped Ongjuntan’s mark to 12-2 with six knockouts.
Nicknamed “Doberman,” Apolinario is under contract with Ohashi Promotions, the Yokohama-based outfit that also promotes Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue.
He made his Japanese debut last August also at the same venue.
