Laurente opens ‘Island Assault’ with UD win over Zavaleta

Dennis Laurente won via unanimous decision over Mexican Zaid Zavaleta in their scheduled 10-round non-title bout in one of the undercard events in the Brian Viloria-Jesus Iribe title bout dubbed “Island Assault" Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the Blaisdell Center, Honolulu, Hawai. Viloria stakes his International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight crown against Mexican challenger Iribe. Laurente, a southpaw, improved his fight record to 31 wins (16 by way of knockout) against three losses and five draws. Laurente controlled the tempo of the match and even bombarded his foe with a number of shots to the body giving Zavaleta “a steady diet of left straights", which the Mexican failed to counter. The Polompon, Leyte-native Laurente did not slow down and continued his pressure on Zavaleta even ending the eighth round with four consecutive left straights that brought cheers to the more than 4,000 fans. Zavaleta had some bright moments in the fight even cornering Laurente in the ninth in a flurry exchange with no one hitting the canvass as the bell sounded. In an earlier fight, Alfonso Gomez of Mexico scored a first round knockout win over compatriot Raul Muñoz. Gomez' right straight floored Muñoz twice. Kapuso star Jolina Magdangal, Juan Muñoz and while Fil-Am singer and American Idol Season 3 third placer Jasmine Trias sang the national anthems of the Philippines, Mexico and the United States, respectively. – GMANews.TV