Filipino flyweight contender Dave Apolinario recovered from an early stumble and scored a sensational fourth-round knockout win over Thai counterpart Tanes Ongjunta on Thursday, Feb. 22, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Apolinario was dropped to his knees after absorbing a vicious counterpunch from Ongjunta late in the third round but managed to pull himself together and landed a whistling straight that sent the Thai pug reeling to the canvas.

Sensing blood in the water, Apolinario then unloaded a barrage of heavy punches before punctuating it with a booming right uppercut that ended the bout at the 1:44 mark of the fourth frame.

The Filipino fighter remained undefeated through 20 fights with 14 knockout to remain as the No. 1 rated WBA flyweight and more importantly lined himself up for a title shot for the 112-pound crown currently being held by Japanese Seigo Yuri Akui.

Apolinario seemed to have the upperhand in the early going of the contest, landing timely shots to the Thai’s head and body. Ongjunta, however, tagged Apolinario with a vicious right counter that sent the Filipino kneeling on the canvas.

The 25-year-old boxer mustered enough strength and managed to wear down Ongjunta who also sustained a cut above his eye after an inadvertent clash of heads in the waning seconds of the third canto.

That was when Apolinario, fighting out of Sanman Promotions of JC Mananquil and co-managed by Mike Pelayo, pressed the fight to Ongjunta before eventually delivering the killing blows.

Ongjunta, a two-time Southeast Asian Games silver medalist dropped to a 12-2 record with 6 KOs.