Anselmo Moreno vs. Suriyan Kaikanha

:shock: This is a GREAT match, and snuck up outta nowhere!

Both the former longtime WBA bantamweight champion (2008-2012, with ten successful defenses) from Panama and the former WBC super flyweight champion from Thailand (2011, with a single defense) are essentially coming off losses to bantam kingpin Shinsuka Yamanaka. Kaikanha has actually fought nine times since, and gone 9-0 (7) - but this has been typical of a "Thai comeback" - with more padding than a prom queen's bra.

This will be in Moreno's backyard, at Roberto Durán Arena, for the vacant WBC Silver bantamweight title.

Neither has ever been stopped, and neither has the kind of bone-crunching one-punch stuff to make it seem plausible that either could knock out the other for the first time, so this is booked for twelve frames of technical bliss. It might not be a FOTY contender but there will be loads of pure boxing skill on display.

The deck is stacked pretty heartily in Anselmo's favor - he is the naturally larger man, having always campaigned at 118lbs while Suriyan began at fly; he enjoys the home ring advantage; he is 5′ 6½″ with 69½″ reach to Suriyan's 5′3½″ with 64"; performed better in his defeat to Yamanaka h2h; and he is the more intelligent and calmer fighter, with a water-like flow in the ring and nonpareil adjustment capabilities. Suriyan is, however, too classy to call this a cherry pick. He is three years Moreno's junior and has shown decent pop after climbing up to bantam, knocking tough & plucky Filipino trial horse Jomar Fajardo spark out with a single right hand lead - and the fact that he boasts wins over Nashiro, Rojas, and Singwancha and ran Pong close (even if all that was a long time ago) can't be ignored. This ought to be nip and tuck and end up in the 117-111 range for Chemito.

 

Pretty nice co-feature, too - Alberto Mosquera vs. Brian Nahuel Zarza in a minor title eleven-rounder at 140lbs.

 

How is nobody excited? :bart Philistines.

 

Reckon this would be a top 5 scalp for Moreno? :think

I would think so, behind just Sidorenko x2, Monshipour, and Darchinyan.

Nice addition to his résumé (even with everything favoring him) and if this sets up another chance at Yamanaka, all the better.

 

How'd you think Kaikanha did?

 

Battle of the ex-WBC titlist Sor Rungvisai teammates!

Nawaphon can get winner. :deal


Actually it might just be my imagination but I feel like there were rumblings of Suriyan vs. Srisaket maybe happening at one point - like 2012ish or so? :think

 

Well for a busy old-timer like me who doesn't have my finger on the pulse as much as intrepid die-hard fans like yourself anymore, it did sneak up. :good

(and I'd say I'm still more in the loop than probably at least 80% of boxing fans, so it probably caught most of them blind too :yep)

 

Sangmanee?