{"id":403472,"date":"2023-12-19T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=403472"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"Emmanuel-TKOs-Iakopo-in-ROF-co-main-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/Emmanuel-TKOs-Iakopo-in-ROF-co-main-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Emmanuel TKOs Iakopo in ROF co-main event"},"content":{"rendered":"

The penultimate co-event fight of the successful Ring of Fire boxing and kickboxing event starring veteran Stanley \u201cRaging Bull\u201d Iakopo vs. Guam Muay Thai\u2019s Sam \u201cTank\u201d Emmanuel ended in the second-round win via a TKO by the latter.<\/p>\n

Iakopo held his ground in the first round as he let out a flurry of fast and furious punches that were taken pretty well by the younger Emmanuel. The first round was well fought by both as they didn\u2019t seem to break too much of a sweat.<\/p>\n

However, Emmanuel didn\u2019t hold back in the second round as Iakopo quickly gassed out with each lackluster punch he threw. Holding on to Emmanuel for support and to catch his breath, Iakopo tried to regain strength, but after a combo by Emmanuel, Iakopo went down before the second round ended.<\/p>\n

Clearly dazed, Iakopo\u2019s corner conceded and the match was called and the referee handed the TKO victory to Emmanuel.<\/p>\n

There were 21 fights\u2014with the main event reported on Monday. The following are the results of the rest of the fights before the co and main event.<\/p>\n

GMT\u2019s Jeremiah \u201cJ-Comp\u201d Taitingfong battered and bruised Latte Built\u2019s Bon Sagana in the light heavyweight kickboxing bout, 30-23, 30-26, and 30-27.<\/p>\n

In the middleweight kickboxing bout, independent fighter Antwon Indalecio knocked out independent fighter Jonel Enriquez 2:15 into the fight.<\/p>\n

An electric up-and-coming boxer, Jamaal \u201cThe Animal\u201d Mresbang, from the Mauler Boxing Club won unanimously versus Trench Tech\u2019s \u201cKorean Blood\u201d Ram Lee, 29-27, 30-26, and 30-27.<\/p>\n

In the welterweight kickboxing match, Nelson Saimon went down in just 56 seconds as he was shown no mercy by Jose Camacho. In another welterweight kickboxing match, GMT\u2019s Isaac Crisostomo pounded Trench Tech\u2019s E.J. \u201cProd\u201d Nekaifes into a split decision win, 30-29, 28-29, and 30-27.<\/p>\n

Up-and-coming fighter Mike \u201cShotgun\u201d Camacho of Trench Tech put up a fiery lightweight kickboxing match against veteran fighter, GMT\u2019s John \u201cBones\u201d Lee, and won in split decision, 27-25, 28-29, 29-28.<\/p>\n

RM Sport\u2019s Mathew Moriano out-boxed MBC\u2019s Gren \u201cHitman\u201d Cepeda in a lightweight boxing match and won via unanimous decision, 28-27, 30-27, and 30-27.<\/p>\n

Trench Tech\u2019s Nosh Demapan unanimously won in a featherweight kickboxing bout against MCMMA\/PRIMEVIL\u2019s Saips Thuy, 28-25, 30-27, 30-27.<\/p>\n

In the bantamweight boxing match, RM Sport\u2019s Jerome Cariaga beat Latte Built\u2019s Josh Soccorro, 30-28, 25-24, and 28-28; in another boxing matchup in the same weight class, Trench Tech\u2019s Mametto Iakopo mauled MBC\u2019s Glaine \u201cSaipan Mauler\u201d Cepeda, 25-28, 29-28, and 30-29; MCMM\/PRIMEVIL\u2019s Justin Agulto kickboxed his way to a second-round win against Jimmy \u201cCrazy Ray\u201d Polk; Trench Tech\u2019s Audiscott Iakopo won unanimously over independent fighter Leo Tenorio, 29-24, 30-26, and 30-27; and in the first bantamweight kickboxing bout, Trench Tech\u2019s C.J. Hofschneider knocked down Team Undisputed\u2019s Jay \u201cTabi\u201d Muna in 2:32.<\/p>\n

In the atom weight division, Dillan Pomdi knocked out Trench Tech\u2019s Keith \u201cThe Rowdy Rebel\u201d Aldan at 1:56 in Round 2; Dre \u201cDrizzy\u201d Aldan won via split decision against Javen Montenegro, 28-25, 29-28, and 29-29; Trench Tech\u2019s Vicente \u201cBengbeng the Dengdeng\u201d Palacios gunned down MCMMA\/PRIMEVIL\u2019s Gunzy Tomei; independent fighter Angelo Pulido kickboxed his way to win against Phil \u201cPrimeTTime\u201d Gregorio; and GMT\u2019s Knighty Soulik went pound for pound and won in unanimous decision against MBC\u2019s Edryan \u201cThe Sniper\u201d Bayot.<\/p>\n

And in the flyweight division, GMC\u2019s Patterson Joseph won unanimously over Latte Built\u2019s Salvatore \u201cThe Tiger\u201d Gotti, 30-29, 30-28, 29-28.<\/p>\n

After the main event between Trench Tech\u2019s Andres \u201cTanapag Beach Bad Boy\u201d Camacho and GMT\u2019s Jake Albert that went into the wee hours of Sunday, organizer Justis \u201cCuki\u201d Alvarez said the long-awaited return of fight night in the Marianas was a success.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a long night, it was a long couple of months of preparation, but it all paid off in the end. I\u2019m just so happy that we finally were able to bring back combat sports to the Northern Mariana Islands. It\u2019s been too long,\u201d said Alvarez.<\/p>\n

He said after Super Typhoon Yutu in 2018 and COVID-19, the timing wasn\u2019t right to bring it back. But now, the timing was \u201cright. Everybody had a very merry Christmas and I told everybody we\u2019re gonna end the year with a bang, and that\u2019s exactly what we did.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for the fights, Alvarez said all the fighters were itching and were ready to rumble as seen with their aggressiveness out of the starting gate. Overall, Alvarez said, he\u2019s \u201csuper happy with their performance. All the kids fought well. They fought their hearts out and they gave it their all and they put on a show for all the fans in attendance.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that, the attendance of over 600 was not a surprise to Alvarez. \u201cAlthough I\u2019m super impressed with the turnout, I\u2019m not surprised because it\u2019s a long time coming and fans just gravitated\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He then thanked the sponsors IT&E, Miller Lite, Heineken, Hafa Adai Rent-A-Car, and Century Hotel.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Guam’s Sam “The Tank” Emmanuel corners Trench Tech’s Stanley “The Raging Bull” Iakopo on the ropes during their co-main event fight in the Ring of Fire at the Garapan Central Park Roundhouse early Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

-LEIGH GASES
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Mauler Boxing Club’s Jamaal “The Animal” Mresbang is introduced alongside his coach, former professional boxer, Miguel Arrozal, second right, before his boxing match in the Ring of Fire at the Garapan Central Park Roundhouse last Saturday night.<\/p>\n

-LEIGH GASES
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Ring of Fire organizer Justis “Cuki” Alvarez says his thanks to the crowd of over 600 during an intermission of the matches last Saturday at the Garapan Central Park Roundhouse.<\/p>\n

-LEIGH GASES
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Stanley “The Raging Bull” Iakopo, left, sizes up his opponent, Sam “The Tank” Emmanuel during their co-main event bout of the Ring of Fire event early Sunday morning at the Garapan Central Park Roundhouse.<\/p>\n

-LEIGH GASES
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Light heavy weight kickboxing contender Bon Sagana of Latte Built throws a punch against opponent Guam’s Jeremiah “J-Comp” Taitingfong in the Ring of Fire event last Saturday at the Garapan Central Park Roundhouse.<\/p>\n

-LEIGH GASES
<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The penultimate co-event fight of the successful Ring of Fire boxing and kickboxing event starring…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-403472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=403472"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403472\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=403472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=403472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=403472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}