Lopez hopes to end Pinoy tormentor's winning ways on Saturday

Sylvester Lopez hopes to end Thai challenger Wandee Singwangcha's string of victories against Filipino fighters when he stakes his World Boxing Council (WBC) international super flyweight crown on Saturday at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City. The 30-year-old Singwangcha, who arrived on Sunday with fellow Thai boxer Soksan Chaichan Sangmuangloei, has compiled 62 wins – 14 of which by way of knockout – against 11 defeats and one draw. Marvin Sonsona dealt the scrappy and resilient challenger his last loss when he scored a second round knockout of the Thai to capture the then vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific flyweight tiara on May 28, 2008 at the Cebu City Coliseum. Singwangcha, after losing to Sonsona, has won six straight fights with the last three not getting past the fourth round. Sixty-two of the veteran Thai boxer’s wins are against Filipinos the last of which against Edwin Tumbaga on November 15, 2009 in Thailand. Juanito Rubillar, Fernando Lumacad, Joel Rafols and Brix Ray are some of the Pinoy boxers that fell victim to Singwangcha making the Thai a dangerous foe for the 22-year-old Lopez in the main event of the Elorde International Productions-promoted fight card. This is the second title defense of the Kabalasan, Zamboanga Sibugay-born Lopez. He first won the WBC super flyweight belt by an eighth-round technical knockout over South Korean Jong Nam Park on April 5, 2009. Lopez has won nine straight fights to improve his record to 13 wins (9 by KO), two losses and one draw. His last lost was against compatriot Smalben Bujas on November 24, 2007. A win by Lopez would make him a top contender for the WBC flyweight strap vacated by Vic Darchinyan, who moved up in weight. Featured in the undercard is former WBO Asian Pacific champ Ryan Bito, who will face Sangmuangloei for the Thai’s WBC international flyweight title. The other match will pit Warlito Parrenas against Jonathan Tacuning for the WBC international light flyweight championship title. – JVP, GMANews.TV