Filipino pug Rey Loreto wins IBO title with highlight reel knockout

It was supposed to be a mismatch, just another fight in Nkosinathi Joyi's march back to the world stage of boxing. Joyi, a South African, is the former IBF minimumweight champion. Heading into the match against Rey Loreto of the Philippines, Joyi's record was 24 wins against only two defeats. The losses came at the hands of good fighters in Mario Rodriguez and reigning WBA minimumweight champion Hekkie Budler. Loreto's record was a paltry 17 wins against 13 losses.

The Filipino was so overlooked that the producers of the fight card headlined by WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin versus Osumanu Adama in Monaco could not even spell Loreto's name correctly.

All of it didn't matter to Loreto as he stepped into the ring convinced that he would win the biggest fight of his career. And he did just that.

Loreto knocked out Joyi in the third round of their fight, Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on the undercard of the Gennady Golovkin versus Osumanu Adama card.

.GIF: Rey Loreto knocks Nkosinathi Joyi out on Golovkin-Adama undercard (thanks to @GrabakaHitman) http://t.co/6ykQKwBJRF

— Bad Left Hook (@badlefthook) February 1, 2014

Born in Davao City but currently fighting out of Brico Santig's stable in La Trinidad, Benguet, Loreto opened the fight with a couple of hook-straight combinations from the southpaw stance. He landed a couple of good over overhand lefts, but Joyi stayed busy with combinations to the Filipino's head and body.

The South African used his jab more in the second round to try and keep Loreto away from him. Joyi bobbed and weaved through the Filipino's onslaught. Joyi abandoned his jabs later in the second round as he pursued Loreto with great success until he got caught with a left hook at rocked him badly. The Filipino landed overhand lefts and went for the kill, but Joyi was saved by the bell.

Loreto knew that Joyi had not fully recovered from the last round. The South African tried to buy some time by jabbing and moving but Loreto would not be denied. Joyi decided to exchange with Loreto, but he was caught with a wicked counter left that knocked him out cold.

The referee inexplicably wanted to finish the 10-count but it was clear that Joyi was out. His trainer leapt to the ring, which finally convinced the referee to end his count.

Loreto lost the first four fights of his career. Although he rebounded nicely after that span, he again suffered a four-fight losing streak in 2011, dropping three of these in Thailand.

However, he managed to string together good wins as of late, which gave him the opportunity of a lifetime against Joyi. - AMD, GMA News