Highland Boxing Gym’s Adrian Lerasan will defend for the first time his World Boxing Association-Asia super flyweight belt on May 1 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Lerasan will be up against Thai challenger World Boxing Council-Asia flyweight king Thananchai Charunphak in the main event of the two-fight card set in Workpoint Studio, Thailand.
Lerasan holds nine wins with two by way of knockout and four losses since debuting in 2016 while Charunphak has 11 wins with nine by way of KO, and one loss since debuting in 2018.
But Lerasan will have to manage without his trainer Richard Garcia Jr., who was prevented from flying after his RT-PCR test with the Philippine Red Cross came out positive for Covid-19.
A rapid antigen test was done that same day, which came out negative prompting him to take a second RT-PCR test at Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, which also showed negative results the next day.
Airport authorities, however, denied Garcia from flying to Bangkok despite the negative results of the antigen and RT-PCR tests at the CGHMC.
“He (Lerasan) flew by himself,” said Brico Santig of the La Trinidad-based Highland Boxing Promotions.
Lerasan won the vacant WBA-Asia super flyweight title on March 1 last year by upsetting the previously undefeated Thai Tanes Ongjunta in eight rounds.
The 2016 Palarong Pambansa flyweight bronze medalist won over Anthony Caligao in Nov. 10, 2019 via unanimous decision. Prior to that, he lost to Dave Apolinario also via unanimous decision. – Ofelia C. Empian
