TOKYO - World title prospect Dave Apolinario rose from a third round knockdown to score a dramatic fourth-round stoppage of Tanes Ongjunta of Thailand in an eighth-round flyweight encounter at the Korakuen Hall.
The 25-year-old Filipino battled back with a sense of urgency after being brought down with a counter right in the third.
With Ongjunta hampered by a huge cut above his left eyebrow following a clash of heads, Apolinario went to work and sent the Thai pug reeling to the canvas with a counter left in the fourth round.
The undefeated Filipino, the former IBO flyweight title holder, then went for the finish by unleashing a right uppercut which had Ongjunta staggering into a corner.
The end came at the 1:44 mark of the fourth.
Apolinario, fighting out of Sanman Promotions of JC Mananquil and co-managed by Mike Pelayo, raised his record to 20-0 with 14 KOs and remained as the no. 1 rated flyweight by the WBA.
"Iniisip ko mahaba pa yung laban, puwede pang bumawi," said Apolinario of his first ever career knockdown. "Dapat pag bumagsak, kung kayang tumayo, tumayo pa."
Ongjunta, a two-time silver medal winner in the Southeast Asian Games, suffered his second career loss and went down to a 12-2 record with 6 KOs.
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