ROLLY MATSUSHITA'S RIVAL IS PANAMA'S NATIONAL HERO
By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 07 Oct 2008
Like Roberto Duran, reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight champion Anselmo Moreno is being hailed in Panama as national hero.
"Pero hindi po ako natatakot sa kanya. Ito na po kasi ang aking pagkakataon na maging world champion (But I am not afraid of him because this will be my chance to become a world champion)," Filipino Rolly Lunas Matsushita told Philboxing in a text message from Kanazawa, Japan where he is based.
Matsushita, 24, who is managed by Japanese Naoyuki Kashimi, confirmed that he will be fighting Moreno (23-1, 8 KOs) for the WBA title on October 30 at the Figali Convention Center in Panama City.
"Puspusan na po ang training ko dito sa Japan at ito na ang pinakamahalagang laban sa buhay ko kaya manalangin na lang po tayo (I have been training hard for the most important fight in my life so let us just pray)," Matsushita added.
Matsushita's crack at Moreno's title came after he successfully posted his fourth defense of the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) 118-lb crown against Kaona Klongpajol of Thailand in Lahug, Cebu City last August 2.
Kashimi immediately negotiated for his ward's championship battle against Moreno after the World Boxing Council (WBC) failed to declare the No. 3 ranked Filipino import as mandatory challenger of WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa.
Kashimi first negotiated for Matsushita (25-6, 14 KOs) to shoot for WBC title during the WBC convention in Manila in November 2007 but Vusi Malinga of South Africa has been penciled as mandatory challenger for being the top contender.
Number 2 contender Alejandro Valdez of Mexico also looms as Hasegawa's other possible mandatory challenger.
The 23-year-old Moreno has not lost since 2002 where he tasted his first defeat by split decision against Ricardo Molina in Santiago, Panama.
He avenged the only blot in his record by trouncing Molina twice in 2005--TKO in the ninth round in the battle for vacant WBA Fedecentro super flyweight title on January 28; and unanimous decision in the first defense of the title on August 20.
Moreno captured the WBA bantamweight crown by knocking out Ricardo Vargas in the first round on August 16 last year in Panama City.
Moreno defended the title twice against Wladimir Sidorenko (UD 12) in D?sseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany on May 31, 2008 and against Cecilo Santos (technical decision seventh round) in Panama City on September 18.
Boxing Digest described Moreno, nicknamed "Chemito", as "Panama's national hero in the mold of Roberto Duran".
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.
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