PROMOTER Sammy Gello-ani believes Jesse Espinas, who scored a spectacular eighth-round TKO victory over previously unbeaten Paipharob Kokietgym, ranked No. 2 by the WBO and on the verge of earning a mandatory title shot, is “a world-class fighter although he has had only a few fights.”
Gello-ani dropped the Thai champion three times en route to the rousing TKO victory.
“Espinas will continue training and I am willing to accept any offer for a championship fight because I know he (Espinas) can deliver,” Gello-ani told The Standard shortly after his arrival from Bangkok.
Despite a seven-hour hour travel time to Surin, where the fight was held, Gello-ani said he told Espinas he “had to accept any difficulties” in an effort to become a champion.
Gello-ani said Espinas trains in his training facility in Misamis Oriental.
“Everything there is fresh and there is no pollution,” said Gello-ani, who added that the 23-year-old has no vices, even as he credited trainer Eduardo Suito for a very good training in preparation for the WBO Oriental title bout.
Espinas engaged Paipharob in several furious exchanges up close before the power of the Filipino dropped the Thai champion once in the third round and twice in the eighth round, with some vicious combinations to the head and body giving the referee no choice but to call a halt as the hapless Thai champion was in no position to continue.
The Filipino weathered some big shots from Paipharob, but proved he was resilient and countered with awesome shots of his own to seal a big win for promoter Gello-ani.
Espinas stunned the Thai, who was ranked No. 2 behind champion Donnie Nietes in the WBO rankings and was also ranked No. 6 by the IBF and No. 4 by the WBA and was previously unbeaten with a record of 32-0 with 25 knockouts and was known as “The King of Knockouts.” He is 32 years old.
But he fell prey to the 23-year-old Espinas nicknamed “Little Giant,” whose record was a comparative unimpressive 12-2, although he did have 8 knockouts.
WBO Asia Pacific head Leon Panoncillo informed The Standard that Espinas was previously world-ranked by the WBO, but dropped out of the rankings after he lost to undefeated Christian Araneta, a flyweight with a record of 10-0 with 9 knockouts.
Espinas is a minimum weight.
Gello-ani praised promoter/manager Kokiet Paniochyarom who “accepted defeat without any remorse.”