Filipino boxers Sonsona, Paypa KOed by unbeaten Russians

MANILA, Philippines – Eden Sonsona saw his unbeaten streak of 12 fights over 7 years snapped as he succumbed to Evgeny Chuprakov in the fifth round on Friday, May 5 at DIVS in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Sonsona (36-7-2, 13 knockouts) was knocked down in the third round by a counter left hook and dropped once again in the fourth while complaining of a kidney punch. Whatever pain he was experiencing hadn’t subsided by the following round as he turned his back following another flurry by Chuprakov (18-0, 10 KOs) and went to his knees in the corner, compelling the referee to stop the fight at the 1:35 mark.

Chuprakov’s WBO Inter-Continental junior lightweight (130 pounds) title was at stake, and a win over the fighter ranked number two by that sanctioning body which would have earned the 28-year-old from General Santos City, Philippines a good ranking.

“Tough loss for Eden,” said Sonsona’s promoter Jim Claude Manangquil of Sanman Promotions. “We had high hopes for him. Back to drawing board for him.”

Full Sonsona-Chuprakov highlights as Chuprakov wins by TKO in the fifth round pic.twitter.com/A6nQpx8j8d

— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) May 5, 2017

The fight that preceded Sonsona-Chuprakov was more competitive as Filipino boxer Jimmy Paypa dropped Shavkat Rakhimov twice before the Russia-based Tajik came back and scored a one-punch technical knockout with a left uppercut to the solar plexus which Paypa never saw coming. The time of stoppage was 1:17 of round 6 in the junior lightweight fight.

Paypa (19-4-1, 7 KOs) of Magsaysay, Lanao del Norte, Philippines looked on his way to an upset win in the second round when he dropped Rakhimov (10-0, 8 KOs) on a straight left in the second, and again in the third with a right hook. Rakhimov, who is two years younger at 22, never stopped punching, occupying Paypa with his busy style while adjusting to moving out of exchanges to his right, and away from Paypa’s own right.

The knockout came as Rakhimov turned Paypa and planted a left uppercut that left the Filipino breathless and struggling in pain to rise.

Full Paypa-Rakhimov highlights as Shavkat Rakhimov gets off the deck twice to win by KO in the sixth #boxing pic.twitter.com/VsH1oIq7sr

— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) May 5, 2017

Paypa, who is promoted by ALA Boxing, drops to 0-2-1 in international fights, snapping a 3-fight winning streak which included an upset decision win over former title challenger Bernabe Concepcion last year. He was accompanied to Russia by trainer Michael Domingo.

The win is Rakhimov’s fourth straight knockout of a Filipino boxer, after defeating Jun Doliguez, Roldan Aldea and Jerry Castroverde in his previous three bouts.

The show was promoted by RCC Boxing Promotions. – Rappler.com