An Afternoon Chat with ?The Excitement?
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 01 Aug 2010
Denver Cuello sat in the lobby of a hotel in Bacolod City looking calm and confident one day before his tune up bout against Arnel Tadena. The minimumweight southpaw called ?The Excitement? had a ready smile and was eager to engage in conversation as we walked a few blocks and went inside the city?s biggest mall.
The WBC international 105 lb. titlist had a stroke of bad luck in what could have been his breakthrough international fight against Juan Hernandez of Mexico.
?They said he was a real fighter, but he kept running during the bout.? Cuello recalled the May 22 fight held in Mexico City. ?I decked him with a body punch in the third. Then I hit him in the head. The referee counted till four and waved signaling the end of the fight. He was out. I thought I won, then they waited till he got up then declared him the winner by disqualification.?
The said fight was supposed to be a WBC minimumweight title eliminator and would have placed Cuello in line for a short at WBC champ Oleydong Sithsamerchai of Thailand. Cuello?s manager Aljoe Jaro immediately protested the decision but later decided that he would try to get a shot at the WBA crown of Roman Gonzales of Nicaragua.
?My manager is now negotiating with Erik Morales? promotional company to stage this fight.? Cuello said.
I asked Cuello to talk about himself and his early years as a boxer.
?I am the fifth of six children, three boys and three girls. I am the only boxer in the family, my father is not a boxer. I started as an amateur when I was nine years old. I was inspired by Onyok Velasco?s Olympic silver medal win in 1996.?
Denver never had a chance to compete in the Palarong Pambansa or Philippine National Games. ?There were peace and order problems when Lanao played host. There was also an amateur boxer who died in the ring in my hometown in Iloilo. They stopped staging fights after that but now public interest is back.?
Cuello turned pro at 16 and even missed his high school graduation so he could go to Manila to fight. ?It was a week away from graduation but I still got my diploma.? He recalled. He also worked as jeepney conductor during high school.
What would he have done if he continued his schooling.
?I don?t know. I can?t imagine myself being in any other profession other than boxing.? He said.
In his spare time, Denver goes on the internet and his two favorite sites are Facebook and Philboxing.
The 23 year old Cuello is now 19 wins, 10 by knockout, with 3 losses and five draws. Prior to the Hernandez bout, Cuello stopped four of his last six opponents. He prefers to go to the body in the early rounds before attacking his opponent?s head. He spars with heavier opponents including undefeated superbantamweight prospect Allan Ta?ada.
His trainer George Sol thinks highly of Cuello and said his boxer is now a complete fighter, ?I cannot think of anything that he lacks. His defense and endurance is good, we know he can punch.?
Cuello now has Singwangcha attached to his name to honor the Thai Promoter Naris Singwangcha who has offered to help Aljoe Jaro in his effort to steer Cuello to another title shot.
Aside from Gonzales and Sithsamerchai, Cuello would also like a shot at WBO lt.flyweight champ Ivan Calderon. Among the local boxers, he has set his sights on Milan Melindo of the ALA Gym. This September in Iligan City, he is scheduled to face former IBF world champ Muhammad Rachmann.
Cuello comes across as likeable and articulate. He has more than just a puncher?s chance against anybody. If given the right breaks, he could bring not just excitement but another world title belt for the Philippines.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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