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By Ed Tolentino, Contributor
FILIPINO Florante Condes failed to shake off
nearly a year of ring rust, losing the International Boxing
Federation (IBF) minimumweight title Sunday to Mexican challenger
Raul “Rayito” Garcia in La Paz, Mexico.
Garcia won via a unanimous nod — 112-115,
110-118, 112-115 from the judges. The challenger wisely boxed at a
distance, preventing the power-punching Condes from finding his
range.
Condes managed to score a knockdown in the final
round, but Garcia got up in time and coasted the remainder of the
way. The faces of the fighters were marked at the end of the fight,
proof that hard punches were exchanged.
Garcia raised his record to 23-0-1, 15
knockouts. He turned pro in 2004 and won his first 14 fights before
being held to a draw by Sammy Gutierrez in 2006.
Garcia has gone unbeaten since the draw. In
February, he defeated Ronald Barrera to earn the right to challenge
Condes.
The win over Condes was clearly the sweetest for
Garcia, coming before his hometown fans.
For Condes, the loss dropped his record to
22-4-1, 20 knockouts. The Romblon native barged into pro boxing in
2002 with a second round stoppage of Ruben Billones.
Before losing to Garcia, Condes had gone
unbeaten since May 2005, when he dropped a decision to Benjie
Sorolla. In July 2007, Condes became a world champion when he scored
a grueling split-decision over veteran Muhammad Rachman in Jakarta,
Indonesia. Dubbed “Little Pacquiao,” Condes floored Rachman
twice to post the victory.
Manager and promotional problems, however,
prevented Condes from defending the belt. Only the intervention of
the Games and Amusements Board prevented Condes from being stripped
of the title.
Condes earned $50,000 for the Garcia fight. He
was accompanied in Mexico by his Puerto Rican manager Dante Ortiz,
promoter Sammy Gello-ani and trainer Danny Bactol.
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