MAYOL CONFIDENT OF BEATING SOLIS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 16 Jul 2007
Former WBC minimum weight title challenger Rodel Mayol who battles IBF light flyweight champion Ulises Solis on the undercard of the Erik Morales-David Diaz WBC lightweight title fight on August 4 at the All State Arena in Rosemont, Illinois says “I know I’m better than him.”
Mayol is training at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas under the legendary Kenny Adams who has trained twelve world champions. He was head coach of the US Olympic boxing team in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea after being assistant coach at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Mayol told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today his training has been “good and hard” and that he has so far sparred almost 70 rounds. He said his condition as of now us “about 70 percent but I know that after three weeks I will be in 100 percent condition because I have confidence in my training and my trainer.”
Mayol revealed that his confidence stemmed from having watched a tape of Solis who is the brother of previously undefeated Jorge Solis who was knocked out by Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao last April 14 in San Antonio, Texas.
Mayol said Solis “has power and is a good boxer too but I know I am better than him.” He asked Filipino fight fans to pray for his success saying “I want to win this fight because I want to bring the belt to the Philippines for our people and country.”
Solis has a record of 24-1-2 with 18 knockouts and is coming off a ninth round TKO over former champion Jose Antonio Aguirre in his third title defense last May 19. Solis dropped Aguirre twice in the fourth round. Solis won the interim title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Will Grigsby on January 7, 2006 and then won the title with a ninth round TKO over Eric Ortiz on March 25, 2006.
Mayol said he is comfortable at 108 pounds and won’t have any problems making the weight. The hard-hitting Filipino (23-1-18 KO’s) who suffered his only defeat in a WBC minimum weight title fight against reigning champion Eagle Kyowa when he lacked proper training and faded in the second half of their fight on May 6, 2006 said he was lucky to get a title shot at Solis. Mayol reiterated what he told us last month that another chance at a world title was “my dream.” Now that it is coming true Mayol said he doesn’t plan on losing the opportunity.
Mayol expressed confidence he could win because “I have no problems with the weight, I now have more power and will not repeat the mistakes I made in the Kyowa fight. I want to win the title.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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