Grieving Filipino boxer seizes world title belt in South Africa

Sports

FOR Filipino boxers, securing a win in South Africa is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

But Alvin “Pitbull Tyson” Camique did the improbable when he stopped hometown bet Akani Sambo to seize the vacant World Boxing Federation Federation (WBF) world bantamweight title on Saturday (Philippine time), August 1, at the University of Venda Stadium in Thohoyandou, South Africa.

Camique sealed the magnificent win with a third-round onslaught that sent to the fight to an abrupt win,

“Standing knockout,” Cebuano coach Jingjing Tepora when asked how Camique dominated Sambo.

Camique’s enormous win came more than a month after his coach Suplico Anoos passed away.

The 28-year-old boxer from Lebak, Sultan Kudarat paid tribute to his late coach shortly after sealing the victory.

“Daghan kaayong salamat coach. Tungod nimo nakuha nako ang kadaugan. Ikaw ang isa sa gihimo nako nga kusog para makuha nako ang kadaugan nga dugay na nato gihandom coach,” Camique wrote in a Facebook post.

Camique hiked his record to 12W-5L, 7KOs while dealing Sambo just his second defeat.

The African boxer dropped to 7W-2L-1D.(CCM)