By Jerome S. Galunan, Jr.

The fight between reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific bantamweight champion ‘King’ Arthur Villanueva of Bago City and undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) world bantamweight titlist Luis ‘Pantera’ Nery over the weekend in Tijuana, Mexico came to an end shortly into the sixth round after the WBC titlist was awarded a technical knockout victory over the Negrense boxer.

Despite Villanueva delivering a solid right to Nery in the fourth round, knocking the latter to the ground, it was in the sixth round where the Bago City boxer was cornered and battered by a barrage of unanswered combinations, compelling the referee to end the fight.

“Villanueva knocked him but [Nery] was eventually saved by the bell,” said veteran coach Edito Villamor. “We lost in sixth, but Arthur didn’t [fall] on the canvas.”

Villanueva is expected back home by Tuesday, November 7./JSG, WDJ