Dinh Hong Quan has become the first Vietnamese boxer to win the lightweight IBF (International Boxing Federation) Asia belt after defeating his Filipino opponent Delmar Pellio on Saturday.

Quan and Pellio competed for the lightweight IBF Asia title at The Grand Ho Tram in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province on Saturday evening.

Quan is Vietnam’s first boxer to step in the ring for the lightweight IBF Asia belt. 

The 24-year-old is a member of Cocky Buffalo Club, which previously became popular after another of its boxers – Nguyen Thi Thu Nhi – won the first-ever mini-flyweight World Boxing Organization (WBO) world championship for Vietnam in October 2021.

Quan ranks 335th in the world with seven wins, including four knockouts, one draw, and one loss.

In his latest five matches, the Vietnamese did not take too long to defeat his opponents from Thailand, South Korea, and the Philippines.

Quan showed a high level of confidence in his battle against Pellio as he overwhelmed his rival with quick and accurate punches.

The Vietnamese boxer had a chance to finish the battle with a knockout in the tenth round but the final bell rang before he could.

The judges agreed to give Quan the higher overall score, which helped him claim the first lightweight IBF Asia title for Vietnam.

Aside from the IBF Asia belt fight, two other battles also took place at the Grand Ho Tram on the same day.

Uzbek fighter Olimjon Nazarov of Cocky Buffalo Club defeated the Philippines’ Jerome Baloro to defend his WBO (World Boxing Organization) Oriental flyweight belt.

South Korea’s Song Chan Ho, also of Cocky Buffalo, beat Filipino boxer Romer Pinili by a knockout to take the WBO Youth belt.

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