Mandaue Ready for Awesome Boxing Action Tonight..!!! Fight Previews (PLUS PRESCON PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 10 Jun 2017
Boxing fans in Mandaue are already savoring the action-packed boxing "Enkwentro Dinhi Sa Mandaue" to take place tonight at the Mandaue City Sports Complex, with the first 100 fans entering the arena FOR FREE, as proudly promised by fight promoter during the presser at J Mall yesterday.
"It's going to be a great night of boxing with a WBO title on the line and professional fighters ready for action.. and the first 100 fans can enter free," said promoter Kenneth Rontal, director of Championship Boxing Development.
Indeed, the fight card tonight in Mandaue has nothing to envy to any boxing fight anywhere in the world.
It boasts undefeated amateur boxers willing to engage, world ranked fighters as well promising up-and-coming hot prospects, international fighters from the USA, Thailand and the Philippines, a WBO title title.. plus, a combat between two sexy women fighters ready to throw hurting blows. What else could be missing..??
The following are previews of each fight:
VIC SALUDAR VS TOTO LANDERO
In one of the important fights of the evening, world ranked WBO #2/WBA #14/IBF #10 Minimumweight Vic Saludar (14-2, 9 KO's) risks his multi-ratings against tough Robert "Toto" Landero (8-1-2, 2 KO's), a resolute warrior who knows no fear.
Vic Saludar is the current WBO Oriental Champion and, even though his title is not on the line, the tension could be felt during the J Mall presser and the stakes for these two ring warriors could not be higher.
"A win by Toto Landero over Saludar will mean the world to our team," commented veteran man of boxing Dante Almario, manager of the 21-year-old Landero, during the presser.
Landero is a Negros native, now training and fighting in Manila, and is so eager and willing to press his pro career forward. We'll see how good he wants the win.
Landero will fighting out of the blue corner, Saludar in the hot red. This is a 10-rounder in the minimumweigh division.
Cheerful Vince Paras.
VINCE PARAS VS JIMBOY HAYA
In another 10-round clash of titans, undefeated Mindanao KO artist Vince Paras (10-0, 9 KO's) of Gensan will battle local Omega fighter Jimboy Haya (10-2-2, 6 KO's) for the vacant WBO Jr. Flyweight Belt.
This rumble is important as winner would likely get into the WBO 108 lbs world rankings.
This is the Jr. Flyweight division where the world champion is 21-year-old Japanese Kosei Tanaka (9-0, 5 KO's).
A positive-looking Paras said to PhilBoxing that he is feeling great and confident for his fight tonight. He also said that each fight is important to him and that is why he trains daily with discipline.
The pride of Gensan also said to that one of the great boxing heroes that he admires is legendary fighter "Hands of Stone" Roberto Duran.
The cheerful, ever-smiling Vince Paras, who surprisingly speaks basic Spanish quite well, will come out from the red corner, while Jimboy Haya will storm out into the ring from the blue corner.
Both fighters fight in the orthodox stance, and both want so bad to win that shinning belt.
Jimboy Haya (standing) and Salatiel Amit.
FROILAN SALUDAR VS SALATIEL AMIT
WBC #20 Froilan Saludar (24-2-1, 15 KO's), elder brother of Vic, will climb the ring of the Mandaue City Sports Complex to exchange blows with "Fearless Pakyao" Salatiel Amit (10-2-2, 7 KO's), an Omega Gym fighter born in Naval, now training here in Cebu.
The match-up is a war in the Flyweight division; and 10 rounds have been scheduled for the fighter to settle their differences.
For many fans here in Cebu, the more experienced Froilan Saludar, who was a world title challenger back in 2014, should teach a boxing lesson to the 25-year-old Salatiel. Should. But in boxing nothing is written in stone.
Phannaluk Kongsang of Thailand.
CASEY MORTON VS KONGSANG (GIRL'S FIGHT)
In women's boxing tonight, Casey Morton (4-0-3, 0KO's) of Sacramento, California, is set to get into the ring against Thailand fight girl Phannaluk Kongsang, a 22-year-old former muay thai warrior.
These women's war is a 6-round skirmish in the super flyweight division.
This the second bout in the evening and you do not want to miss it. Casey Morton will fight in the red corner, while the Kongsang will come out of the blue.
"I am in good shape, feeling good. I run 10 Km every day, I have been practicing Muay Thai boxing since I was 8 year-old little girl and I have taken part in Muay Thai fights about a hunderd times," said Kongsang to PhilBoxing during the presscon.
It seems that the Thai fighter has good background experience in Muay Thai. However, the unbeaten American Morton, born in the Great State of Hawaii, has also valuable experience as an amateur boxer, reaching #3 in USA amateur rankings and competing for amateur national titles.
Since Morton has arrived here in Cebu from the United States, PhilBoxing director Dong Secuya asked this question during the presscon.
"For an athlete like you, how is your body clock is coping with having to quickly adjust to a time zone so different than the one in California?" (California is UTC-8, while Cebu is UTC+8)
Dong Secuya, Director of PhilBoxing.com talks during presscon in Cebu on June 9, 2017 as Mr. Lando Mendoza of GAB Cebu looks on.
Morton replied that she is doing fine in that regard, quickly catching up with the difference, working out and sleeping at the right time is helping her, and by fight night she expects to be perfectly OK.
Fans hope so as everybody wants a fair fight. Kongsang did not have to adjust anything as Thailand is just one hour behind Cebu time.
During the presscon, Casey Morton was taken care of by her manager/coach Jairo Escobar, a former boxer born in El Salvador, now residing and training his fighters in San Francisco, CA.
Escobar expressed confidence in Casey's chances against the Thai, seeing tonight's fight as a stepping stone in her boxer's career.
Casey Morton of the US speaks during the presscon as Vic Saludar listens.
It's gonna be a good fight. Both fighters want the victory and both are experienced in their own right with good background fighting experience.
Casey has more experience as a pro. But Thai fighters are strong, never give up, are fearless and since kids they learn well the business of fighting.
We shall see if Casey defeats Thai fight girl. Or it will be the other way around?
L to R: Boxers Charlie Malupangue Salatiel Amit, Jimboy Haya and Robert Paradero in good spirits during Friday's presser.
ROBERT PARADERO VS CHARLIE MALUPANQUE
This is the opening professional fight of the exciting evening. Here, awesome boxing will be in display. This is the exchange of blows between undefeated Jr. Flyweight Robert "Inggo" Paradero (13-0, 8 KO's) of Bukidnon, battling fellow Mindanao warrior 24-year-old leftie Charlie Malupangue (5-2-3, 4 KO's) of Zamboanga.
Paradero, 20, who is the WBO Asia Pacific Youth Champion with an enviable position in the WBO Asia Pacific rankings. He can not afford to lose this 8-rounder to Malupangue.
A loss will sadly take him back to square one, while a win would likely get Paradero into the WBO world rankings with the possibility to disputing title. That is a golden chance that Paradero would not want to lose.
FIRST 100 FIGHT FANS WILL ENTER FREE; AMATEUR FIGHTS BEGIN AT 5 PM.
As promised by promoter Kenneth Rontal of Championship Boxing Development, the first 100 fight fans will enter free.
If you are are interested, then bear in mind this:
Doors at Mandaue Sports Complex will open at 4:30 PM.
Amateur Fights begin at exactly 5 PM. Total 5 amateur bouts.
First professional fight, which is Paradero vs Malupangue, begins at 7 PM.
If you can not make it among the first 100 fans, do not worry. Because price for general admission is 50 pesos.
Who can say that has nothing to do tonight?
Promoter Kenneth Rontal (L) and WBO Vice president Leon Panoncillo during a light moment during presscon on June 9 2017.
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING DEVELOPMENT SCORED A SUCCESSFUL PRESSCON
It was an entertaining, revealing presscon with weighin where boxers, officials and the media freely exchange ideas.
Boxing personalities present during the press conference/weighin at J Mall on June 9 were:
Dong Secuya (creator of Philboxing.com), Levi Deresas (Philboxing Photographer), WBO officials Danrex Tapdasan, Salven Lagumbay, Edward Ligas, Edgardo Olalo, GAB Cebu Supervisor Rolando "Lando" Mendoza, referee Tony Pesons and WBO Vice-president Leon Panoncillo.
Finally, members of the media in attendance were: Edri Aznar of Sunstar, Glendale Rosal of Cebu Daily News, Photographer Lito Tecson of Cebu Daily News, Big John Magat of Radio Y101 FM and Lemuel Maglinte of The Freeman.
See you all at the Mandaue Sports Complex tonight!
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Carlos Costa from Panama is a long time lover of boxing. He is currently a boxing writer, photographer and reporter who has worked for PhilBoxing since 2008. Carlos is also contributor to Boxingscene.com and has been Asia Editor of Notifight.com. For all boxing related things, he can be reached by email: Carlos512@hotmail.com
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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