Eman Bacosa started off the 50th anniversary card of the Thrilla in Manila with a bang, as he won via unanimous decision against fellow Filipino Nico Salado in their lightweight division matchup.
Two judges scored the contest 58-55 in favor of Bacosa, while the third judge had it 60-53.
Bacosa, the pride of General Santos City, was aggressive from the get-go, connecting on combinations as he hunted his opponent throughout the match.
He also sent his opponent to the canvas with a left hook that landed square on the jaw in the fourth round.
And while Salado landed some punches on the cornered Bacosa in the sixth round, the eventual winner continued to keep the pressure on against the Boholano boxer.
‘Okay lang po. Saka gusto kong magpasalamat sa Panginoong Diyos natin dahil sa pagbigay Niya sa akin ng proteksyon at paggabay Niya sa akin ng tagumpay,’ he told reporters after the win.
‘Maraming salamat din po sa mga sumusuporta. Thankful ako kay God saka masayang-masaya,’ he added.
He underscored that while he was confident of getting the win, he made sure to be careful when the bell rang.
‘Confident ako na mananalo pero sabi kasi ng coach ko, wag masyadong gigil, wag masyadong habol kasi darating din po yun e.’
Bacosa rose to a win-loss-draw record of 7-0-1, while Salado dropped to a 2-2-1 slate.