Pinoys dispute WBA title
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 20 Feb 2021
Saludar (L) and Paradero (R) at yesterday's weighin.
It’ll be experience against youth as veteran “Vicious” Vic Saludar engages upstart Robert (Inggo) Paradero in a scheduled 12-round fight for the vacant “regular” WBA minimumweight crown under strict no-audience safety conditions imposed by GAB at the Binan football stadium this afternoon. The bout will highlight a card of 6 bouts promoted by Bebot Elorde and Marcial Castro to start at 11 this morning. Action will be shown live on Facebook and YouTube with a delayed telecast at 8 p.m. tomorrow on Solar Sports.
Saludar, 30, is a former WBO 105-pound champion with a record of 20-4 (11 KOs) while Paradero, 24, boasts an unblemished slate of 18-0 (12 KOs, 4 in the 1st round). Elorde said it’s a toss-up. “Magandang laban ‘to,” he said. “Papasok si Paradero at counterpuncher si Saludar. Mahirap sabihin kung sinong lamang.” Veteran international referee and judge Silvestre Abainza said the outcome will depend on who’s in better shape. “50-50 kung parehong nasa kondisyon,” he said. In yesterday's weigh-in, Saludar scaled 104 pounds and Paradero, 104.4. Sports editor Sergey Loktev of champinon.info picked Saludar to win by TKO with the website installing the Polomolok fighter a 2-1 favorite.
Both fighters refused to disclose their battle plans but expressed confidence they’ll leave the ring with the belt. “Patay kung patay,” said Bukidnon's Paradero. “Alam ko beterano si Saludar pero ang magpapanalo sa akin ay tapang ng dibib.” He vowed to go for an early KO. Saludar declined to make a prediction. “Di ko masasabi kung anong mangyayari sa loob ng ring,” he said. “Pareho kaming handang manalo.”
Nowel Jaduca of San Fernando, La Union, will be the referee with Atty. Aquil Tamano, Atty. Danrex Tapdasan and Alfie Jocosol the judges. GAB chairman Baham Mitra will act as the WBA title fight supervisor at ringside. The chief aperitif pits unbeaten Ifugao warrior Carl Jammes Martin against Bukidnon’s Joe Tejones in a 10-round superbantamweight duel of southpaws. Martin, 21, has a 16-0 record (14 KOs, 9 inside 3 rounds). Last December, he outpointed Richard Rosales in Mandaue, breaking his streak of 11 straight KOs. Tejones, 24, has a 13-7 mark (7 KOs). Of his 7 losses, 5 were inflicted abroad. In a sixer, bantamweights Kier Espere and Denmark (Tornado) Quibido will slug it out. Quibido, 25, has a 10-0-1 record (5 KOs) compared to Espere’s 3-2-1 (1 KO).
To get the show rolling, there will be three four-rounders. Rechel Calo takes on Ruel Panales in a superbantamweight tiff, Eugene Noynay faces Jerico Tanate in a flyweight tussle and Archiel Villamor meets Leslie Manalo in a minimumweight contest. Calo, Panales, Noynay, Tanate and Villamor are making their pro debut. Manalo, 26, totes a 0-2 record. Noynay is WBO No. 9 superfeatherweight Joe Noynay’s nephew while Villamor is the son of Elorde gym trainer Archier Villamor. Tanate is a Binan hometown bet from Dino Olivetti’s stable. Manalo and Panales are MMA fighters whose handler is former WBC superfeatherweight champion Rolando Navarrete’s son Rolando, Jr.
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