Knockouts mark ‘Duel’

Tinian’s adopted son Bert “The Puncher” Cano made his home island proud, earning another win in CNMI soil after pounding away against Robert Dalisay of the Philippines in the main event of Friday night’s Duel of Boxers at the Garapan Central Park.

Cano, who entered the bout feeling a little uneasy due to the reach advantage of Dalisay, was uneasy no more after landing the first big blow of the fight, connecting on a right hook to the head of his opponent in the first round.

“That was the guide for me, letting me know that I can challenge this guy,” Cano said through an interpreter shortly after notching his 42nd win and 18th knockout of his career. “I began to be confident after that first round.”

Cano, however, had his work cut out for him as Dalisay proved to be a strong opponent, coming back and landing punches of his own to Cano’s midsection and head as the bout progressed.

The two slowed the fight down a bit in the next few rounds, as both fighters did not want to make a mistake and give the other a big opening.

Tinian’s pride, however, connected on a powerful left hook to Dalisay’s body at the start of the sixth round, sending Dalisay to the mat.

Dalisay managed to get back to his feet and the fight resumed after a quick check by the referee.

Seeing his opponent hurt by his left hook, Cano became the aggressor, seizing the opportunity and attacking Dalisay’s body with left and right hooks while also connecting on quick jabs to the head.

Cano worked Dalisay to a corner before unleashing a combination of punches to the body and head. Dalisay had no opportunity to get out of the corner, and Cano continued to pound away until the referee stepped in and stopped the fight just 54 seconds into the round.

“I tried to penetrate to the face, but I couldn’t so I worked on his body,” Cano said. “I was already starting to be tired in the sixth round. After the punch [that sent Dalisay to the mat in the sixth round] I knew he was hurt on the body, so I just kept going at him and kept punching.”

Prior to the Cano-Dalisay bout, Guam’s Errol Alegre took his skills to the ring and left with a win by means of TKO just 35 seconds into the fifth round against Luloy Gonzales of the Philippines.

Alegre was ahead in the early rounds, landing jab after jab as well as several left and right combinations as Gonzales failed to keep his hands up in defense.

Alegre finally caught Gonzales with powerful hooks, working him to a corner before landing more punches to the body.

He continued to connect on many of his punches, stinging Gonzales who dropped on one knee before the referee stepped in just before the end of the fourth round.

Gonzales got back to his feet right away and the fight continued.

Alegre continued to work on his jabs at the start of the fifth round as Gonzales seemed spent and didn’t have the energy to keep his hands up.

Alegre continued to connect on a bunch of punches in the fifth round, forcing Gonzales to the corner once again. Alegre landed more punches, several of which caught Gonzales well enough to get him down on both knees. After getting back up, Gonzales then threw in the towel handing the bout to the Guamanian.

“I was kind a nervous going into this fight knowing that he is a pretty good puncher and strong knockout artist but I think the trip [from Philippines to Saipan] made him kind a tired and I was able to take advantage of that,” Alegre said. “I think the weariness set in and he stopped throwing punches. I can hear him breathing hard and on the last [fifth] round, I began to pour it on because I sense he was tired.”