Boxing: Michael Farenas wins by first round knockout in Texas

Michael Farenas finally scored an impressive win after back-to-back lackluster outings in 2012, flooring his opponent, Gerardo Zayas of Mexico, three times en route to an impressive first round knockout, Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) at the Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. Farenas floored Zayas early in the fight with one of his strong left straights, but the journeyman fighter from Mexico got up. He was knocked down again thanks to a big right from Farenas, but Zayas tried to fight on, only to get floored for a third time with a left straight-right hook combination, just before the bell sounded to give Farenas an easy victory. Last July, Farenas failed to get a WBA super featherweight title against Takashi Uchiyama after their fight was declared a draw. Back in December, Farenas also failed to get the interim version of the same title as he fell to Yuriorkis Gamboa. Farenas then hired Marvin Somodio, Freddie Roach's main assistant trainer at the Wild Card Gym, to fine-tune his offense and help him put together combinations to compliment his power. "Medyo naayos namin yung lateral movement at kung paano ma-setup yung malakas na kaliwa niya," Somodio said in an interview with GMA News Online. "Maganda pinakita niya sa laban. Maliksi ang galaw at nag-improve after ng laban kay Gamboa," Somodio added. "Sa tingin ko handa na sya sa world championship fight. "Kanina nandoon si Bob Arum at napahanga siya ni Michael. Siguro bibigyan siya ng break sa Macau." With the win, Farenas bumped his record up to 33 wins with four losses, four draws, and one no contest, with 27 wins coming via the short route. Zayas on the other hand dropped to 19 wins, 21 losses, and two draws. - Carlo Pamintuan/AMD, GMA News