Five Braveheart Boxers Lined Up for Important Fights
By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 30 Jun 2010
Los Angeles, California - The spectacular performance displayed by flyweight Edrin Dapudong who thrashed World No. 1 contender Jesus Jimenez Saturday in Tepic City, Mexico, has opened the door of opportunity for other fighters from North Cotabato who belong to the Braveheart Boxing Club.
In our trip back from Mexico to Guadalajara, Filipino promoter and matchmaker Sammy Gelloani, who is collaborating with international matchmaker Sampson Leckowicz in arranging fights for Filipino boxers, said five more North Cotabato fighters are now being lined up for important bouts that may lead them to world championship events.
Undefeated featherweight Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva, 24, who holds an immaculate record of 18 wins with 17 KOs, is tentatively scheduled to fight in Uruguay, South America in November. Villanueva, a southpaw who stands 5' 7", is the current World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental champion.
WBO Oriental Miniflyweight champion Rommel "Little Assassin" Asenjo, 20, (17 wins, 2 losses, 13 KOs) who is rated No. 3 in the world by the WBO is expected to get a crack at the world championship sometime this year while junior featherweight Rolando Magbanua, 24, (17 wins, 1 loss, 8 KOs), bantamweight Glenn "The Rock" Porras, 24, (24 wins, 2 losses, 14 KOs) and junior bantamweight Jermie Jabel, 21, (16 wins, 1 draw, 8 KOs) are being prepared for vital bouts arranged by Gelloani and Leckowicz.
These recent developments in the career of the young fighters from North Cotabato who started as amateur boxers under a grassroots boxing program that I launched 12 years ago has prompted us to make critical adjustments.
I and my brothers have decided to engage the services of Justin Fortune as our trainer and conditioning coach in the US. The boys who will be developed by a group of Cuban-trained boxing coaches led by my brother, Noli, will be fine-tuned by Justin prior to their big engagements.
Justin Fortune's initial involvement with the North Cotabato fighters yielded a positive result as the last minute conditioning and dieterary tips he shared with Braveheart Boxing Club chief trainer Noli PInol greatly helped Dapudong in his fight last Saturday in Mexico for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Flyweight Silver title by overcoming fatigue from the long trip and enhancing acclimatization.
Now, it is a matter of time for these young boys to prove what they have. In as far as I and my brothers are concerned, we have helped open the door of opportunities for them.
But all of these young boxers must thank Dapudong for overcoming the lack of preparation and the rigors of long travel and win that very important fight against Jimenez.
Top photo: New WBC Flyweight Silver Champion Edrin Dapudong is shown here with his trainer, Noli Pinol, and manager Manny Pinol shortly after scoring a sensational first round knockout of Mexico's Jesus Jimenez in Tepic City June 19. Dapudong, a product of a grassroots boxing program started by Manny Pinol when he was Governor of the province, is North Cotabato first world boxing champion. (Photo by Emily Pinol).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Manny Piñol.
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