CONDES ALL PRIMED FOR HIS FIRST TITLE DEFENSE
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 09 Jun 2008
Los Angeles, CA: - All the ?i?s are dotted and the ?t?s crossed is the best way to describe the training regimen of IBF minimum weight world champion Florante Condes as he prepares to defend his title for the first time against Raul ?Rayito? Garcia Hirales at La Paz, Mexico on Saturday, June 14, 2008.
?Everything that needs to be done has been done? declared Danny Bactol, the Philippine- based trainer who worked with Condes all through his preparation for this particular fight.
With that, Condes broke camp late today and started packing his gear for the plane ride to Mexico tomorrow (Monday, LA Time).
Condes? has been training at the famed Wildcard Gym of Freddie Roach since he came to LA last Wednesday. Roach, in an admirable gesture of cooperation and support for the Filipino champion today, opened his gym even if was a Sunday to allow Team Condes to find and polish whatever creases are left in his game plan.
World class promoter Sammy Gello-ani who lately has been taking care of the affairs of Condes has expressed his confidence in the chances of Condes to keep his crown. Short of giving a guaranteed result, he informed this writer that if he was a betting man, he would put his money on Condes.
Gello-ani?s confidence is apparently based on the fact that Condes is ?big? for a minimum weight boxer. His power is something his opponents Garcia included, should really reckon with. Condes is known to be a ?hard-hitter? as evidenced by his record of 22-3-1- (20KO).
Bactol is hoping Garcia will fight like most Mexicans do because part of what he prepared Condes for is to counter the typical ?ever coming forward style? of these fighters.
?If Garcia elects to stand toe-to-toe with Condes, we know how to address that situation too?, he said. ?And, if he elects to run, we are conditioned to chase him for the whole 12 rounds if necessary?, he added.
Bactol stated that they plan to take the fight to Garcia after measuring him in the beginning so that they can force him to fight their fight. And, if he does fight Condes? fight, Bactol is almost sure Garcia will find himself on the short end of the stick.
Bactol further stated that they are ready for whatever Garcia brings to the ring. ?We plan to bring the title back with us to Manila? he said.
Condes for his part has signified that he has done all that was expected of him. ?I trained hard for this fight because I know that if the fight goes the distance, I may lose the fight by a ?hometown decision?.
When told of the names of the referee and the judges appointed by IBF, Condes did not seem to be very concerned. ?I don?t know them?, he said ?they have a job to do and I got mine,? he added.
?I will try for a KO but if the opportunity for a KO does not come, I will make sure that I will win the rounds by a very wide margin so there will be no doubt, he said.
Then he added:- ?I hope that my countrymen will pray for my victory as this fight is not only for me but for all of them too?.
Top photo (L-R): Bactol, Gello-ani and Condes in Los Angeles. Photo by Dr. Ed de la Vega.
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