URBANO ANTILLON ALL SET FOR THE LONG GRIND AS PACQUIAO’S SPARMATE
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 25 Sep 2009
Freddie Roach, the guru of the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood did not select Urbano Antillon to be one of the three sparmates of Manny Pacquiao out of a whim.
He knew that Antillon has plenty to offer in so far as being a sparring partner of Pacquiao is concerned. Antillon is fast and can pack a wallop.
Antillon is no push-over. Although the young man from Namiquipa, Mexico who now makes Maywood, California his home is far cry from being a Miguel Cotto, he holds a very respectable record of 26-1-0 and he is quite a well-rounded boxer.
Antillon is better known amongst Fiilipino fight fans as the Mexican boxer who knocked-out Bobby Pacquiao in one round at the Hard Rock Casino Resort at Las Vegas back in March 2008.
Since that win, he continued on to win four more fights, two by KO’s and another two by TKO’s. Then this past July, he run into a brick wall named Miguel Acosta at Nayrit, Mexico. Acosta KO’d Antillon in the 9th round to win the WBA Interim Lightweight title.
Antillon is now over that KO lost and is back in the gym full time in an effort to rebound and re-gain his former glory days.
To achieve that, nothing can be better than training and sparring with the world’s best pound4pound boxer, Manny Pacquiao. And, the money is good as well.
“I know it will be a very hard grind to be training with Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines but I'm ready for it as I know it will be a good experience for me,” Antillon stated to this writer.
Antillon happenned to bump with David Rodela, a long time favorite training partner of Manny Pacquiao yesterday morning at our offices. Rodela, just like Antillon was at our offices to be fitted new mouthguards in anticipation of their sparring with Pacquiao.
Rodela however is not going to the Philippines. He is training at Oxnard for an anticipated fight next month in the Nokia Night Fight card promoted by Golden Boy. He will spar with Pacquiao when the Filipino spitfire continues on with his training at the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood late next month.
Antillon leaves for the Philippines on Friday LA time and will arrive in the Philippines early Sunday. He is excited about the prospect of training with Pacquiao but a little bit perturbed by the 13-hour or so flight to Manila and then a five our drive to Baguio.
Antillon hopes that Team Pacquiao provides him with a “business class ticket” on PAL so he can rest comfortably on the long ride to the islands.
The little anxiety that Antillon understandably feels was however sort of watered down after talking to Rodela . Rodela assured him that the whole experience will be very good.
Rodela told Antillon about the experiences he had when he flew to Manila then to Cebu to spar with Pacquiao. “The country is great, the people are very warm and the food is beyond compare. And Manny is such a great host. He will push you to the limit during sparring but he will make sure that after that you are well taken cared of,” Rodela told Antillon.
Urbano Antillon (L) shows his new mouthguard as he poses with Dr de la Vega at the latter's office Thursday.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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