KNOCKOUTS PREDICTED IN CEBU
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 May 2008
Knockouts have been predicted by the four fighters headlining an exciting fight card at the Cebu City Coliseum tomorow with two former world title challengers Bert Batawang and Rodel Mayol who both lost to reigning IBF light flyweight champion Ulises Solis taking on Thai journeymen challengers in a double main event.
At a well-attended press conference held at La Fortuna Hotel yesterday, the 36 year old Batawang who battles Thailand's Samransak Singmanassak for the WBO Oriental title said he realized time was running out on him and his only chance for another world title shot would be an impressive victory against Samransak.
The Thai who is regarded as a knockout artist with 26 KO's in 32 wins against 13 losses and 1 draw predicted he would go for a knockout at the first chance he got and vowed to take the title home to Thailand. But the cool and confident Batawang who is trained by former two-division world champion Dodie Boy Penalosa expressed confidence he would prevail and a knockout was a real possibility.
Penalosa said Batawang who has a record of 51-7 with 35 knockouts was one hundred percent ready.
The WBO Oriental title fight will be telecast on the top rated weekly boxing show "The Main Event" at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday over IBC 13, sponsored by Tanduay, the No.1 Rhum in cooperation with Pagcor.
Mayol, on the other hand conceded he was around 80 to 90 percent ready after his managerial problems had been sorted out following his release granted by Japanese Yasuo Matsuoka. Mayol expressed gratitude to Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao who had helped him in the recent past and together with Rex "Wakee" Salud were planning to handle Mayol's career.
Mayol said he planned to win big and hopefully work his way back into the world rankings and one more shot at a world title. He admitted that if he fails the second time around to become a world champion, he would retire.
The 26 year old Mayol with a 23-2, 18 KO's record faces Wisan Sor Suchanya whose record is 9-6-1, with 2 KO's and although the Thai said he would go for a knockout, chances are he may well be at the receiving end of the hard-hitting Mayol.
The fight card promoted by well-known manager/promoter Sammy Gello-ani will be a star-studded affair with three world champions expected to be at ringside led by WBC super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao, WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa and IBF minimum weight champion Florante Condes.
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