Thailand’s Pungluang Sor Singyu stopped AJ “Bazooka” Banal of the Philippines in the ninth round to capture the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title on Saturday.

A four-punch combination to the jaw and face sent Banal, the top-ranked WBO fighter in the division, crashing to the canvas at 1minute, 45seconds into the ninth.

The 23-year-old Filipino got up before the full count, but with with blood masking the right side of his face, American referee Tony Weeks did not allow him to continue.

The 24-year-old Thai right-hander, the WBO’s second-ranked bantamweight, was the aggressor throughout, using left jabs to devastating effect to split Banal’s right eyelid open in the third round.

This allowed Pungluang to continually back Banal, a fast, counter-punching left-hander, toward the ropes where the Thai unloaded with his powerful right fist.

The win was his 43rd, and his 17th against Filipino boxers, against a single loss.

Banal also became Pungluang’s 27th knockout victim in a professional career that began eight years ago.

Banal absorbed his second loss against 28 wins and a draw.

Meanwhile, Rey ‘Boom Boom’ Bautista and Jason Pagara crushed their respective foreign rivals.

Bautista, 26, pulled off a split decision win against Mexican Daniel Ruiz to snare the vacant WBO International featherweight title and improved his win-loss record to 34-2 with 25 knockouts. Judge Epi Almeda scored 115-113 for Ruiz while judges Salven Lagumbay and Samson Libres had it 116-112 and 115-113 respectively for Bautista.

Ruiz fell to 27-6-2 with 19 KOs.

Pagara, for his part, defended his WBO international junior welterweight title belt by knocking out Barbados fighter Miguel ‘Hands of Stone’ Antoine for the first time in the first round to hike his record to 30-2 with 19 KOs.

WITH REPORTS FROM JOSEF T. RAMOS