He was taken the full distance in one of his toughest fights, but Ranee ‘KO Kid’ Ganoy closed the eight-round main event stronger to win by unanimous decision against Indonesia’s Roy Tua Manihuruk in Melbourne on Friday, December 2.
Filipino-Australian Ganoy, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Pacific lightweight champion, appeared out of wind in the mid-rounds but finished the final two rounds at full-throttle to win the judges’ nod: 78-74, 79-72, and 78-73.
An accidental head-butt in the fourth opened a deep cut above Ganoy’s right eye, which Manihuruk attacked through the next four rounds to weaken the Filipino.
Ganoy weathered the storm, however, and took the fight to the Indonesian in the closing rounds, even dropping Manihuruk in the seventh round for a mandatory eight-count.
The nasty gash over Ganoy’s eye took 15 stitches to close and stop the bleeding. ”That was hard work,” he said after the match. ”Roy fought very hard and I should have kept on top of him.
”He hit me with some good shots but I wasn’t going to get beaten. I was surprised he got up in the seventh when I knocked him down.”
Ganoy’s fight manager Mike Altamura said: “Well, that’s boxing for you, isn’t it? How to age 10yrs in one night. Ranee gave us some really anxious moments there and, to be honest, after six rounds, I thought it could’ve gone either way.
”Both fighters should be so proud of the fight they brought the fans tonight, it was easily one of the better slugfests in Australia in 2011.”
“While it was a great fight for the fans, I have to say that I’m both happy and disappointed. Ranee boxed well early but he lost his way in the middle stages and his lack of rounds was evident as Manihuruk really battled his way into the fight.”