By Carlos Costa

CEBU CITY, Philippines  - Hard-hitting world-ranked light flyweight Christian Araneta (17-0, 14 KO's) of the Philippines   -   one of the candidates to Cebu's Best Knock Out of the Year   -   made good use of his speed and boxing skills to score a unanimous decision win over "The Lizard" Vincent Bautista, 25, today Saturday (Dec 22) at Robinsons Galleria here in the Philippine's Queen City of the South, Cebu.

In his prior battle last August, Christian Araneta scored a devastating, explosive 12th round knock out over game former world-title challenger Jerry Tomogdan, sending Jerry flying backwards, landing unconscious flat on his back, shocking and scaring everyone in attendance that night at the Mandaue Sports Complex.  

Christian hammered home that chilling knockout two seconds before the end of the battle at the 2:58 mark in round 12.    Fans were expecting the "Lizard" to be squashed in similar fashion.     Tonight, however, Araneta had to go the distance.

"Still, I am satisfied,"  said Araneta's coach Julius Erving Uy Junco, 33, after GAB referee Romar Kristoffer Embodo raised his fighter's hand.   "Its good that Christian went all the way.    You can win always by knock out. "

Christian Araneta, 23, is currently rated in the light flyweight world-rankings as WBA # 9, WBC # 10 and WBO # 11.

MORE RESULTS FROM CEBU, PHILIPPINES

In the co-feature, super flyweight leftie Ponciano "Ponce" Remandiman (9-4-1, 4 KO's) of the beautiful sun-bathed island of Leyte overpowered tough-as-nails Vicente "Enting" Casido (6-2-1, 2 KO's) of the Wild Boxing Gym.   

The end came when Casido give the back to Ponce after being viciously punished against the ropes near his blue corner.    The third man Nic Banal had no other option but to wave the fight off.

The well-trained Ponce Remandiman of the Omega Gym has scored wins in his last seven rumbles, and ended the  year with a stoppage victory, as predicted.

HARMONITO DELA TORRE BACK TO THE WINNING COLUMN

Furthermore , lightweight"Hammer" Harmonito Dela Torre (20-2, 12 KO's) of the City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro, bounced back from tough defeats in Las Vegas and Malaysia by outclassing and outpointing experienced 43-fight-veteran Richard "Tibay" Betos (20-22-2, 7 KO's) from The Home of the Balangays, Butuan. 

Dela Torre  -   a fighter of Jthe popular C Manangquil Sanman Boxing Gym  -   desperately needed the win, and he got it over the former interim WBC Asia beltholder who took the best shots from Dela Torre, but kept on fighting till the end of the battle.

"A fighter fights.   Dela Torre was not going to knock me out," shared Betos, 31, whose best fighting years might be seen in the back mirror, but whose warrior heart is intact.   

"Dela Torre was not that impressive, but a win is a win," commented a boxing fan from Bohol after the unanimous decision was announced. 

Indeed, even though the best fighting days of Tibay Betos might be over, the 31 year old former interim WBC Asian champ still knows a trick or two.  

Will Harmonito rack-up an impressive win?   Or will old warrior Betos rock Harmonito to score Cebu's most shocking result of the year?    You have to be there to find out.

MORE FIGHTS AT ROBINSONS GALLERIA CEBU

Furthermore, 17 year-old "Wild Fury" Bryan James Wild (1-0, 1 KO) of the Wild Boxing Stable fights stepped-in into pro boxer with a fast first round knock out win over more-experienced Wilbert Rota in a four-rounder clash in the tough 126-pound division.     Bryan James is trained by his father coach John Wild of England.

Also in the 126-pound weight-class, undefeated 19 year-old super featherweight Carlo Bacaro (3-0, 3 KO's) of Cebu's Omega Gym vaporized in one round Mark Anthony Rotilles (2-4, 1 KO) of Bohol.   .

According to the card's matchmaker Jerome Calatrava, Bryan James Wild will be offered a fight against Carlo Bacaro.    Will he accept it?

The card today Saturday (Dec 22) at Robinsons Galleria was supervised by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Cebu officials Rolando "Lando" Mendoza and GAB Inspector Glenn Sonido Agena.    Present during the show was GAB commissioner Eduard B. Trinidad.

#Kumbati at the Mall was a production of Omega Pro Sports International in association with Robinsons Galleria Cebu

The author Carlos Costa is a Panama-born fight reporter living in Cebu, Philippines.  He attended this boxing show in Cebu.  Carlos can be reached by email:   Carlos512@hotmail.com and Whatsapp:  +639184538152.