World title bout up next for Barriga after winning eliminator

SINGAPORE - Former boxing Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga is a step closer in his quest to become a world champion following his landslide victory over Colombia's Gabriel Mendoza, Sunday night at Skydome in Quezon City.

The 24-year-old Barriga showcased that he is the far more skilled fighter for the entire duration of the title eliminator as he utilized his jab, left straight and lateral movement to outmaneuver his visiting foe.

The Filipino prospect repeatedly landed clean shots from both hands while Mendoza simply had no answer to Barriga's style of boxing. He was awarded a unanimous decision after twelve rounds of boxing clinic, the scorecards were 120-108, 120-108 and 119-109.

Now the number one contender to the IBF world minimumweight title, Barriga improved his unblemished record to 9-0 with 1 knockout while Mendoza slipped to 29-6-2 with 23 knockouts. — DVM, GMA News