Bert Batawang’s Championship Pursuit Reached Guadalajara
Bert “The Ninja” Batawang challenged Ulises Solís for the IBF light flyweight championship in Guadalajara, Mexico, on December 15, 2007. Solís retained the title by technical knockout at 2:33 of the ninth round.
The Solís championship challenge
Fighting at the Auditorio Benito Juarez, Batawang struggled with the champion’s speed and counterpunching. All three judges had Solís ahead 80–72 after eight rounds.
Batawang produced his strongest spell early in the fourth round, landing to the head and body before Solís recovered. A cut over Batawang’s right eyebrow developed in the eighth, and the referee stopped the contest in the next round.
A regional title in China
The Cebu veteran continued pursuing championship opportunities. On November 28, 2009, he stopped Indonesia’s Jack Amisa in five rounds to win the WBO Asia Pacific junior flyweight title in China.
The regional victory brought another significant result two years after his world-title challenge, extending a professional career that had begun in 1990.
Before the China opportunity, Batawang had held Philippine, WBA Pan-African and WBO Oriental light flyweight titles. He lost a ten-round decision to Muhammad Rachman in 2002, and Edren Dapudong stopped him in seven rounds in April 2009 to take the Oriental belt. Batawang prepared for Amisa at the IPI Gym in Mandaue City, returning to regional championship competition after that setback.
Sources
- PhilBoxing / Dong Secuya: Solís–Batawang ringside championship report
- PhilBoxing / Salven Lagumbay: Batawang wins the WBO Asia Pacific title
- PhilBoxing: Batawang’s professional background and China title opportunity
