UNABLE TO GET THE BETTER OF HIS HANDPICKED SPARRING PARTNER, MARK ANTHONY BARRIGA TURNS PRO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 30 May 2016
Barriga.
Unable to get the better of the fighter he personally handpicked as a sparring partner while preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, light flyweight Mark Anthony Barriga has turned pro and will make his debut against Mark Anthony Florida at the Philippine Navy Gym in Taguig City on June 18.
ABAP executive director Ed Picson recalled recently that when Barriga was preparing for the London Olympics where he was the sole Filipino boxer who qualified, he asked Barriga who he would wish to recruit as a sparring partner. Barriga picked the then unknown Rogen Ladon.
When asked why he picked Ladon, Barriga told Picson he was quick, had good footwork, was pesky and would be all over you.
That proved to be correct and in the end Ladon decided that since he couldn?t beat Ladon to the 2016 Rio Olympics he?d be better off turning pro.
Florida has a record of 9-6 with 7 knockouts but is coming off a beating at the hands of Melvin Jerusalem when he was forced to retire in the 7th round of a ten round bout against the unbeaten minimum weight on June 28 last year.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Fit 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“It’s time for TSABZ to shine” Get to know Tanaka Saburi as he retuns March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
Fri, 30 Jan 2026