By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Charly Suarez stunned hometown bet Paul Fleming with a 12th round technical knockout to snare three regional titles at the Kevin Betts Stadium in Sydney, Australia Wednesday night, March 15.
The 34-year-old Suarez, who competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics and a three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist during his amateur years, struck Fleming with a vicious left hook that sent his rival to the canvas.
The Australian fighter tried to shake off the blow and got back on his feet, but Suarez resumed his assault before referee Pat O’Connor stopped the fight at the 1:58 mark of the 12th round.
With the victory, Suarez took the regional titles in the IBF, WBC and WBA, further boosting his rankings with the sanctioning bodies.
Suarez also remained unscathed with a 15-0 record, including nine knockouts, while Fleming absorbed his first loss for a 28-1-1, 18 KOs mark.
