'KING' ARTHUR VILLANUEVA TRAINING HARD, DETERMINED TO BEAT MCJOE ARROYO AND BECOME A WORLD CHAMPION
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 22 Jun 2015
Undefeated IBF International and Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight champion ?King? Arthur Villanueva is training hard for his title fight against unbeaten Puerto Rican southpaw McJoe Arroyo scheduled for July 18 at the Don Haskins Convention Center in El Paso, Texas.
Trainer Edmund Villamor who was named ?Trainer of the Year? three years in a row at the ?Flash? Elorde Annual Awards told the New Standard/boxingmirror.com ?we are preparing three or four southpaw sparring partners for ?King? Arthur who is ?determined and wants to be a world champion.?
ALA Gym head trainer Edito ?Ala? Villamor told us that Villanueva is coming along fine and has sparred twice over ten rounds against southpaws, since Arroyo is a lefty and he needs to get used to fighting southpaws.
One of the sparring partners is Joy Joy Formetera, a 21 year old southpaw from Cebu City who has a solid record of 6-1 with 4 knockouts, all in his last four bouts with a 2nd round knockout over Allan Doronilla in his last bout on June 7.
Formetera?s only loss was in his pro debut against Rolando Servania who was also making his debut in a four round bout on January 20, 2013.
He said they are also recruiting an amateur from Bohol who is a southpaw to help enhance Villanueva?s hand-speed, reflexes and movement while well known American strength and conditioning coach Nick Curson is working with Villanueva to get him into the best physical shape for the tough test against the 29 year old Arroyo who has an unblemished record of 16-0 with 8 knockouts.
Arroyo earned the title shot when he scored a lopsided win against Filipino Mark Anthony Geraldo in an eliminator in Puerto Rico on December 30, 2014.
He also scored an impressive 11th round knockout of former world flyweight champion Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez on June 14, 2014 in Mexico after capturing the vacant WBA Latino title with a 4th round TKO victory over Felipe Rivas on February 2, 2013.
Villanueva (L) spars with Gentallan in Cebu on Saturday.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
76ers star Paul George has been suspended for 25 NBA games by doping
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Trazo beats Jabagat in Talisay
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Into fights Sanchez on Feb. 9 at Villa Kristen
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson: Styles Make Fights Fitting Cliche
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Bryan Flores Wins Majority Decision Over Starling Castillo in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Sat, 31 Jan 2026KinetixSports Legacy Run on March 1
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 31 Jan 2026THE RING 6: OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Legendary Soccer Player Sergio Ramos to make professional boxing debut
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Weigh-In Results: Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Teofimo vs Shakur Fight Analysis
By Ralph Rimpell, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Rohan Polanco-Christian Gomez Welterweight Showdown Canceled
Sat, 31 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS MURTAZALIEV AND KELLY CLASH FOR WORLD TITLE
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Boxers Make Weight for Brico Santig’s Exciting 21-Bout Promotion in Thailand (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 30 Jan 2026