Penovaroff outslugs Gonzalez

By KEVIN JAKAHI

Tribune-Herald sports writer

Van Oscar Penovaroff showed his toughness, outslugging Donald Gonzales for the 140-pound interim Toughman Hawaii lightweight championship on Saturday night at Hilo Civic.

For the lion’s share of the 10 minute-bout, Penovaroff delivered the better blows in all five rounds, earning a decision over the 5-foot-7 Gonzales, who gave up a good three inches to the Kona fighter.

The victory hands Penovaroff the distinction of being the toughest stand-up fighter on the island. The best kickboxer for the Toughman lightweight division in the state is yet to be determined. That’s because defending champion Jon Barnard, from Waianae, is currently rehabbing from knee surgery.

Whenever the left-handed Gonzales fired a kick, it went up to Penovaroff’s chest level, where it was almost always blocked. When Gonzales went in to throw blows, he was first met by a straight right, over and over again.

Penovaroff couldn’t finish off Gonzales, but he piled up enough points to reward himself with the interim belt, and a future showdown against Barnard for the title of toughest Toughman lightweight fighter.

In the highly anticipated semi main event, Paul “The Animal” Norman fashioned a knockout 1 minute into the second round against Ashton “One Whack Medivac” Castro, ending the Hilo fighter’s seven-fight winning streak.

Castro’s game plan was to charge Puna’s “Animal” and get in some good licks, with knees to the body and close-range combinations to the head and body. But in the first round, the 6-foot-5 Norman, while in a clinch, countered high knee to the chest, dropping the 6-foot Castro.

In the decisive second round, Norman’s length came in handy. He was able to fire shots from the perimeter, and when Castro came in a hard knee to the head was delivered, sealing the KO.

In the 130-pound junior lightweight title fight, Conrado Martin scored a knockout 1 minute and 30 second into the third round against Waianae’s Deejay Caseria.

Martin carried far more muscle on his frame than Caseria, and it translated into more punching power — a tool Martin utilized to maximum value.

In the first round, Martin threw a straight right that sent Caseria backward. In the second, two left hooks floored Caseria. In the third, Martin employed Caseria’s head as a punching bag, clocking right and lefts to the head.

Caseria showed an iron chin and survived the six-minute journey. But Martin’s good work earned him the decision for the vacant belt.

In other bouts:

• Ikaika Martin def. Jonah Vistante by third-round decision. Martin landed a tad more significant blows against Vistante, who was the third family Waianae member to fight on the night, following his brother Jaycobi and sister Debory. Their older brother is Johnavan Vistante, a former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter.

• Keoni Rodrigues def. Rico Nasario by third-round knockout, :23. In the first round, Nasario was accidentally kicked in the groin. He took all of his allotted five minutes to recover. In the second round, it was the same for Rodrigues. (Most fighters wear cups.) In the third, Rodrigues slammed two hooks to the head for the victory.

• L. John Borges def. Brandon Torres by first-round knockout, 1:53. Torres went all Muay Thai on Borges, clinching his head and ripping knees to the body. One exchange later, he did the same thing. Third time was not a charm. Borges turned him, gave him a taste of his own medicine, pile-driving knees for the KO.

• Chan Spikes def. Andrew Sanchis by third-round knockout, 1:54. Just before the two-minute time limit, Spikes had Sanchis stuck in a corner, where he fired a devastating knee to the body, dropping Sanchis for good.

• Alex Bacdad Jr. def. Kawika Palakiko by decision. Bacdad kept chasing Palakiko around the ring, looking to get in a good exchange. His best moment was a hard kick to Palakiko’s leg that floored him.

• Kahaulani Rodrigues and Debory Vistante no contest. In the first round, it appeared Rodrigues didn’t want to continue, throwing out her mouth piece. The bell didn’t ring, and Vistante thought the round was still live and clocked a right to Rodrigues’ head. Rodrigues took exception to the apparent false crack, took off her gloves and Vistante did the same. Order was quickly restored.

• Matt Majamay def. Jaycobi Vistante by third-round knockout, 1:06. Majamay caught Vistante in a corner and pinned a punishing right punch that nearly sent the Waianae challenger through the ropes.

• Kenui Mundon def. Paul De Soto by second-round knockout, :31. Mundon landed a clean left hook to De Soto’s chin, staggering him early in the second round.

• Daniel Saplan and Aaron Castro no contest. Castro hurt his right arm and couldn’t continue.

• Junior division: Leomana Ambrosio def. Avery Sanchis.

• Junior: Hezekiah Ambrosio def. Israel Morales.