Denver Cuello Out to Make Up For Lost Time and Opportunity
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 17 Sep 2019
Cuello (L) and Flores.
Firebrand flyweight Denver Cuello is looking to make up for lost time and opportunities as he tangles with Mexico's Maximino Flores for the WBC international silver flyweight title here on December 8, 2019.
The 32 year old Cuello announced the good news while appearing in our long running weekly boxing show, 'Sport Lang' airing every Saturday 3-5 pm over Radio Pilipinas 2 Sports Radio with newly reinstated boxing matchmaker Ronald Jerez recently.
Cuello said the match versus Flores has been made possible through Jerez who immediately contacted the Mexican camp after Denver expressed his intention to avenge the sorry technical decision loss suffered by Carlo Pe?alosa to Flores in their recent fight for the vacant IBO flyweight championship held in Quezon City.
The first offer was for Denver to challenge for the Mexican's IBO world championship but the Binangonan native asked Jerez for the possibility of a fight for any title sanctioned by the more recognized WBC under which Denver had mostly campaigned in the past.
Luckily, the WBC silver flyweight title was available and Jerez was able to get the organization's blessing for a Cuello-Flores clash for the said belt.
So the stage has been set for that bout which will be held at the Elorde Sports in Paranaque in December 8, Immaculate Concepcion Day.
That date seems to hold significance for Denver whose career is currently undergoing rebirth following his lengthy absence to recuperate and rehabilitate from a serious shoulder injury and his recent slow and calibrated comeback.
It could be recalled that Cuello first suffered a shoulder injury in losing in his WBC minimumweight title shot against then defending Chinese champion Zhong Cao Xiong in June 2013. It was caused by aggravated muscle and ligament tear on his right shoulder that forced him to fight with just one good hand for the remaining rounds of a bout he lost on points.
It was his courage and never say die attitude atop the ring that endeared Denver to his many fans. That he exemplified heading to that Xiong fight in winning all his 12 fights, ten by KO or TKO in three years since last losing to then future world flyweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete by disqualification in Mexico.
Among Cuello's knockout victim in that stretch was Mexican Ganigan Lopez who would also later reign as WBC light flyweight titlist, turning back the challenge of another noted Pinoy Jonathan Taconing.
After undergoing treatment for his first shoulder injury, Cuello staged a comeback winning three successive bouts all by knockout between late 2013-mid 2015 but in his last fight, he was not only re-injured but aggravated his injury, threatening to end his career.
That forced a longer hiatus during which time he underwent a more thorough and complicated surgical procedure to repair his injured shoulder as well as a comprehensive rehabilitation process that took more than three years.
Out of the gym and the ring for such a long period, his weight ballooned to more than 140 lbs. Hence, in staging his latest comeback, he has had to undergo gradual weight loss regime and fight tentatively as a bantamweight.
He won his last two bouts as bantamweight by knockout against an Indonesian and a Thai with the Asian title on the line.
Denver said he is currently down and comfortable at flyweight and he intends to make a good showing against Max Flores come December.
Matchmaker Jerez said if Cuello wins impressively against Flores, the target will be a fight versus current WBC super flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada who reportedly expressed willingness to tangle with Denver.
Jerez said like in the Philippines, Cuello has remained popular in Mexico where he has fought in memorable, crowd pleasing bouts.
The author Teodoro Medina?Reynoso?is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines.?? He can be reached at?teddyreynoso@yahoo.com?and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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