WAS MAYOL SET-UP?
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 13 Feb 2008
Filipino light flyweight Rodel Mayol appears to have been the victim of a set-up in his fight against undefeated knockout artist Adrian Hernandez (11-0, 9 KO?s) in a preliminary bout in the fight card titled ?Asi Ruge Leon? or ?The Roar of the Lion? in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico last Sunday morning Manila Time.
Dr. Allan Recto who was assigned as a ringside physician by WBC secretary general Mauricio Sulaiman told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that on the day of the weigh-in Mayol was ?worried? because he didn?t know who his opponent was. Dr. Recto said that Michael Koncz who acts as Mayol?s manager/representative ?assured him that he was gong to fight a local opponent because his original opponent was overweight.?
Mayol weighed 110 pounds and after the weigh-in thought he was not going to fight anymore but Koncz said they were ?just searching for a suitable opponent.? Dr. Recto revealed that over dinner which he hosted Mayol informed him that he had been notified his new opponent would be Hernandez.
An earlier report indicated that the opponent of Hernandez was Hector Serrano which was confirmed by Koncz who said that ?another fighter had shown up in the dressing room claiming he was the opponent of Hernandez.? This meant that Hernandez was not a substitute given short notice but was a fighter who, Dr. Recto noted, was ?prepared to fight that night and had trained to fight to win.?
Dr. Recto pointed out that Mayol ?never saw the weigh-in of Hernandez nor did he know how much he weighed.? Aside from being a legitimate flyweight, Hernandez was the WBC Continental Americas light flyweight champion.
Promoter Bob Arum had said that should Mayol win he would get a crack at WBC champion Edgar Sosa in a bout scheduled in April .Mayol knew that the Mexico fight was to be a tune-up for a title shot at Sosa or possibly Omar Nino. Mayol maintained that he had ?trained very well? at Freddie Roach?s Wild Card Gym contradicting claims he hadn?t trained hard enough.
Dr. Recto said that because of the ?circumstances surrounding his mysterious opponent and the weigh-in, Mayol was not in a mood to fight. The look on his face showed he did not want this fight. He knew his opponent was an undefeated knockout artist who had power. Mayol said ?Bakit nilalaban nila itong bata na ito sa akin?ano ang kanilang motibo.? Trainer Nonoy Neri who worked in Mayol?s corner was quoted as saying after the fight, ?Hindi ko maintindihan bakit ganon lumaban si Rodel ?parang may kaba.?
In the first round Mayol slipped after being pushed and stood up right away but the referee gave him a mandatory count. Dr. Recto insisted ?he was never hurt and we could hear Mr. Arum shout BS, what?s wrong with the referee? Mauricio, what?s happening?? Sulaiman gestured with his hands indicating, what can I do?
Mayol fought well in round two against Hernandez who was swinging wildly. He caught the Mexican with a punch that sent him reeling backwards and the ropes prevented him from falling down even as the bell sounded. Dr. Recto said Mayol had no time to finish him off and a dazed Hernandez wobbled to his corner. During the break Mayol told his corner ?Mabigat ang kamay ng kalaban? while his corner responded, ?Kaya mo yan.?
In the third round Mayol showed his skill but when he missed with an uppercut and hit the opponent?s hip the referee deducted a point for an alleged low blow. Dr. Recto said Mayol;s face showed frustration and in round four he ?got careless and got hit with a clean right straight that sent him down on the seat of his trunks.?
Dr. Recto told us, ?he didn?t seem hurt, his eyes were clear, not crossed or dazed but the look on his face showed despair. His facial expression said that?s it for me and despite his corner yelling ?Tayo Mayol tayo. Kaya mo yan? he never stood up until the count was over.? After he was counted out Mayol stood up and went back to his corner. He was okay and did not seem hurt at all.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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