by Ronnie Nathanielsz

Filipino southpaw Jonathan "Lightning" Taconing’s brave effort to win the World Boxing Council light flyweight title from Kompayak Porpramook, and add to the collection of world champions led by pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao, was thwarted by what promoter Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde claimed was a robbery in Buriram, Thailand, Thursday.

A brief report said Taconing lost by a 5th round technical decision when referee Jae Bong-Kim of South Korea, who appears to have become a favorite of the Thais, stopped the fight in the 5th round because of what boxrec.com reported was “a small cut near the left eye of Porpramook from an accidental head-butt in the fourth round.”

While judge Zanashir Taznaa scored the fight even at 47-47, judge Geoff Belton of New Zealand scored it for the Thai world champion 48-46 while Japanese judge Takeaki Kanaya unbelievably gave every round to Porpramook to turn in a scorecard of 50-45 when the bout was stopped.

Elorde told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard that he had received reports from Thailand where the fight was telecast over Channel 7 that Taconing “was robbed of the decision.”

With the win Kompayak Porpramook improved his record to 45-3-0 with 30 knockouts. He won the the title when he stopped Mexican Adrian Hernandez in Bangkok last December.

eSports boxing news writer Leo Napholin reported that “in one of the most controversial decisions in a world championship” Taconing said he was disappointed with the decision and indicated that a protest may be filed by his manager.

The youthful Filipino champion said he wanted the WBC to review a tape of the fight to see what happened and to decide on whether he was robbed or not.

Napholin said Taconing should be considered a hero by Filipino boxing fans “for his courageous stand against his opponent in hostile territory.”