FilAm Muay Thai Fighters Victorious

by Joseph Pimentel/AJPress

LAS VEGAS – FilAm Christine Toledo literally kicked off the night at the World Muay Thai Championships at the Las Vegas Hilton last weekend.

Toledo was one of three FilAm Muay Thai fighters showcased in the card.

As the first Pinoy fighter in the undercard, Toledo used high kicks and several takedowns to best International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) British Flyweight Champion Ruth Ashdown by a unanimous decision in four rounds.

“It was a hard fight,” said Toledo to the Asian Journal. “I expected that. She’s one of the best fighters where she’s from so I thought she had the advantage.”

However, Toledo kicked it up a notch when she heard the number of Filipino fans cheering her on.

“That was my advantage,” she said. “It’s my home town and I received a lot of support. I heard them cheering loudly especially when I came out with the Philippine flag.”

The cheers didn’t stop coming. After Toledo won against her opponent, it was Bay Area native Michael Mananquil’s turn.

The 26-year-old Mananquil defeated Japanese opponent Genki Yamaguchi by a unanimous decision in five rounds.

Mananquil told reporters afterward he was happy about the win but would have preferred a knockout victory.

“I’d have liked to finish the fight, but sometimes it ends up this way,” said Mananquil to an ABS-CBN reporter.

With the win, Mananquil retained the World Boxing Council (WBC) Intercontinental Muay Thai belt.

In the main event, half Mexican half Filipino 24-year-old Shane Del Rosario won the vacant WBC Heavyweight Muay Thai Championship Belt.

Del Rosario knocked out Raul Romero at 1:20 of the second round.

(www.asianjournal.com)

Three Pinoy Fighters to Showcase Skills in Vegas

by Joseph Pimentel/AJPress

LAS VEGAS – Three Filipino fighters will be showcased in different bouts in Las Vegas this Saturday, July 26.

FilAm Muay Thai fighters Michael Mananquil and Christine Toledo will co-headline a World Championship Muay Thai event at the Las Vegas Hilton. At the same time, Boxer Bernabe Concepcion will be featured in the undercard of the Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito championship bout at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.

Mananquil from the San Francisco Bay area is defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) Intercontinental Muay Thai belt against an opponent to be announced. The 26-year-old welterweight said it’s frustrating that the promoters have changed his opponent on him three times.

“I really don’t know whom I’m fighting,” he said to the Asian Journal. “I’m just going to come prepared.”

Mananquil is known as a balanced Muay Thai fighter. His last match in Las Vegas ended in a knockout. Mananquil said he knocked his opponent out with a sharp elbow.

Unlike Mananquil, Toledo knows whom she is fighting against.

Ruth Ashdown is the current International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) British Flyweight Champion. She is considered one of the best fighters in the United Kingdom.

“I have my work cut out for me,” said Toledo, who holds the World Kickboxing Association US (WKA) and the Muay Thai International Association (MTIA) World Title. “I’m really expecting her to give me her best. Everyone in England is counting her to win. She’s the top female fighter in Britain but I’m going bring my best game too.”

The 115-pound Toledo said she expects Ashdown to be aggressive and put a lot of pressure on her.

“She’s a forward fighter,” said Toledo. “I like those fighters because I get to play around with my strategy more. I’m going to try and throw her off guard and throw a lot of angles and combinations at her.”

The 30-year-old Las Vegas native is coming off an impressive win at the Roseland Ballroom in New York just a month ago. Toledo defeated Emily Bearden by majority decision.

Bernabe Concepcion of Rizal, Philippines is the reigning NABF and WBC youth superbantamweight champion. He’ll be featured against Adam Carrera in the pay-per-view undercard of the Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito championship bout.

The 20-year-old Concepcion holds a 25-1-1 14 KO record. In his last match, he defeated Torrence Daniels by technical knockout in the second round in Mexico.

The knockout performance is something his trainer Freddie Roach expects to see more.

“He’s a real good puncher and I expect him to knock people out with his great power,” said Roach in a phone interview with the Asian Journal. “This opponent [Carrera] is someone we are supposed to beat but we can’t take anybody lightly. Bernabe needs to rise to the occasion.”

Roach said that among all the boxers coming out of the Philippines, Concepcion might be the best of them all.

“I really think he’s a great prospect probably the best young prospect coming out of the Philippines. I really believe that,” he said.

Roach said that he and Concepcion would leave to Las Vegas Wednesday night or Thursday morning. (www.asianjournal.com)

Toledo Kicks to Victory

by Joseph Pimentel/AJPress

NEW YORK – After almost a two-year hiatus, FilAm Muay Thai Champion Christine Toledo stepped into the ring and bested opponent Emily Bearden by majority decision at the Roseland Ballroom in New York earlier this month.

“I was very nervous,” said Toledo after the fight to the Asian Journal. “It felt like I was starting all over again.”

The 30-year-old Las Vegas native and current World Kickboxing Association (WKA) US and the Muay Thai International Association (MTIA) World Title holder Toledo last fought in December 2006 against Rima Sidhu, winning by unanimous decision. Since her last fight, a series of promotional gaffes and a medical injury forced her to take an unwelcome break.

“It’s been about a year in a half (since I last fought),” said Toledo. “I felt like 18 months is too long of a lay off. There was ring rust and it showed.”

Despite being affected by the long layoff, Toledo won in a close five round match. Coming into the fight, the odds were against her. Toledo was not only facing her own personal shortcomings (ring rust), but she was also fighting a former WKA US Muay Thai Champion in Bearden and in her hometown of New York.

“Going to somebody’s hometown, it’s hard to take away a victory,” said Toledo, who admits that it took her three rounds before shaking off the ring rust. “For the most part, you really have to beat them convincingly to get the win. For me to get that victory is a big deal because everybody there was her crowd.”

Toledo said she won by taking away her opponent’s game plan. She knew that Bearden was an aggressive fighter hoping to control her by keeping the fight inside. Toledo said she neutralized Bearden’s aggressiveness by catching her in unsuspecting leg sweeps.

“She likes to be untouchable and keeps her opponents away but she wasn’t able to do it with me,” added Toledo.

The win brings Toledo’s record to 12 wins, 2 losses with 4 KO’s. Toledo said the fight with

Bearden was a good precursor to a more difficult match up with current British Muay Thai Champion Ruth Ashdown.

Toledo will face Ashdown in a five round match at the Las Vegas Hilton on July 26.

“She beat the top people in the UK and Europe,” said Toledo of Ashdown. “[But] I think I have the right training and trainers to beat her.”

(www.asianjournal.com)