MAYOL NEEDS A CONVINCING WIN
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 17 Jun 2010
When Rodel Mayol won the WBC lt. flyweight crown from Edgar Sosa by second round technical knockout in Chiapas last November 21, 2009, he became only the third Filipino boxer to win a world title bout on Mexican soil.
On March 1, 1996, Luisito Espinosa made a successful first defense of his WBC featherweight title when he knocked out Alejandro ?Cobrita? Gonzales in four rounds in a fight held in Guadalajara. It took thirteen years for another Pinoy fighter, WBO minimumweight champ Donnie Nietes to equal the feat, not once but twice; a unanimous decision win over Erik Ramirez in Oaxaca (2-28-09) and beating Manuel Vargas by split decision in Nayarit (9-12-09).
Protests from the Mexican camp immediately followed Mayol?s win against Sosa, claiming that it was Mayol?s headbutt that dazed Sosa and cost him the title. Sosa was hospitalized with a fractured cheekbone.
The story of Mayol?s first title defense last February in Guadalajara against Omar Ni?o Romero is also familiar to fight fans. In the dying seconds of the third round, the Mexican challenger delivered a low blow that caused Mayol to drop his guard and then the Mexican Romero decked him with a left hook.
Mayol was carried out of the ring on a stretcher but WBC vice-president Mauricio Sulaiman doused cold water into the celebrating Mexican camp when he announced that the bout had been declared a technical draw. Obviously, this prompted Team Romero to cry foul.
Mayol enters this rematch with Omar Ni?o with a history of disputed endings that goes back to his two headbutt marred, blood soaked fights against WBO lt.flyweight champ Ivan Calderon.
Rodel Mayol was an amateur standout in the talent rich island of Cebu. As a professional, he had previously come up short four times in his attempts to win a world title. Many stopped believing and dismissed him as just another contender who couldn?t win the big one. The fistic journey taken by the boxer named ?Batang Mandaue? took him to frustrating setbacks in four different countries. Now with a world title belt in his hands, he still needs to fight for a more emphatic conclusion this weekend.
The storm of arguments sell tickets and make for good pre-fight story lines. But Mayol?s last three fights have not been aired live on Philippine television. Filipino fight aficionados had to make do with the internet or delayed broadcasts.
A more impressive victory this time around will silence his critics and hopefully get the attention of Filipino corporate sponsors. A champion deserves to defend his title in his home country.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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