BLATANT MISMATCH IN TOP RANK CARD
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 23 Sep 2007
A blatant mismatch in the undercard of the WBO super flyweight championship bout between Fernando Montiel and Luis Melendez at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on October 4 has shocked Filipino boxing people and drawn criticism from such esteemed individuals as WBC founding secretary general, Atty. Rudy Salud.
Allan Visayas, a 33 year old former boxer who quit several years ago and is living in the US is scheduled to fight undefeated WBC No.2 Urbano Antillon in the opening televised bout according to a story carried by the respected Boxing Scene internet site.
Visayas apparently returned to the ring last April 13 and suffered a fourth round knockout at the hands of Roger ?Speedy? Gonzalez in Maywood, California. Gonzalez, a super featherweight with a record of 26-1 with 18 KO?s was at one time being considered by trainer Freddie Roach as a sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao during his training stint in Cebu for the October 6 rematch against Marco Antonio Barrera.
Although Visayas has a record of 21-7 with 15 knockouts, six of his seven defeats were also by KO. He was at one time the fighter of Marty Elorde but nobody seems to know who handles him now.
Salud told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that American promoters are ?capitalizing on the popularity of Filipino boxers who are now known world-wide since Pacquiao?s spectacular performances? noting that there are three Filipino boxers on the card including Bernabe Concepcion and Mercito Gesta.
Boxing manager and trainer Aljoe Jaro whose undefeated 19 year old North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion Bernabe Concepcion meets Sal Garcia (14-5-2, 7 KO's) on the same fight card said ?the image of the Philippines will be spoiled by the Visayas fight? which comes two days before the Pacquiao-Barrera showdown.
Gesta, a 19 year old southpaw who is undefeated with a record of 11-0-1 with 3 KO?s clashes with 28 year old Carlos Vinan who has a record of 7-4-3 with 1 KO.
Well known TV boxing commentator and a member of the original Team Pacquiao, Moy Lainez was shocked by the news saying Visayas ?is old and hasn?t fought for years. Maybe the Americans just want to improve the record of their fighter.?
In his last registered fight prior to quitting the sport, Visayas lost by a fourth round knockout to Thailand?s Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai in a Pan Asia Boxing Association super featherweight title bout on August 19, 2000.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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