PINOY PRIDE 4 PRESSCON HIGHLIGHTS: PHILS. READY FOR THE WORLD
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 17 Mar 2011
Cebu City ? The cast of PINOY PRIDE 4: PHILIPPINES VS THE WORLD met Thursday noon and had their customary sabre rattling and face-off prior to Friday?s weigh-in and the blockbuster Waterfront Cebu City Hotel fight card on Saturday.
Rosendo ?El Matador? Vega (17W-6L, 11 KO?s) of Mexico said that he trained hard for his showdown against Milan Melindo (23W-0L, 7 KO?s. Vega said that he will give Melindo a good fight. In fact, when pressed for a prediction, he said that he?ll knock Melindo out.
Melindo said he?ll do his talking inside the ring. He is not overconfident. ?I prepared well. The knockout will come.? He said.
A very interesting fact is that ALA trainer Edito Villamor and Mexican trainer Herminio Vega Ramirez have one thing in common ? they both fought the legendary Mexican strawweight champion Ricardo Lopez (51W-0L-1D, 38 KO?s), who is considered the greatest 105 lb boxer of all time. Ramirez fought Lopez twice in 1986 and lost on points both times. Villamor was knocked out in the 8th round by Lopez in 1996. This was the last fight of Villamor?s career.
Villamor said that they have reviewed Vega?s fights. ?He is strong, a typical Mexican. But we are prepared for him.Melindo will use his speed and skills. Mexicans never give up. They fight till the end. They have lost to us in big fights so they will fight for their country?s honor. This is about the rivalry.?
Ramirez was asked to reminisce about Lopez who is now a Hall of Famer, ?He was strong and very disciplined.? He also said they have prepared well for Melindo. Melindo vs Vega will headline this boxing promotion.
Unbeaten Canadian Steve Claggett (11W-0L-1D, 6 KO?s), said that it was his Filipino friend who gave him his ring moniker, ?The Dragon?. ?He found out I had Chinese blood, so he gave that name.?
Claggett will face Romeo Jakosalem (11W-4L-1D,5 KO?s). ?I prepared for a war and people will remember this fight for a long time.? Claggett said. ?He will have no problem finding me.?
?If that is what he wants. I?ll go toe to toe with him.? Jakosalem said (Ug ma-o na iya gusto. Akoa siya sabayan.) ?He is undefeated but he should not underestimate me.?
Claggett is trained by Filipino-Canadian,Eric de Guzman. He opened Teofista Boxing in Calgary, Canada a few years ago.
AJ Banal also vowed to knockout challenger Francis Miyeyusho of Tanzania in their WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight title fight. This will be the co-main event in this fight card.
Also seeing action in this card are Rocky Fuentes of Mambaling,Cebu City vs Gemmy Gobel of Indonesia, Kenichi Yamaguchi of Japan vs Marjohn Yap of Cagayan de Oro.
ALA Promotions dedicates this fight card to the late Rodrigo Salud, who was one of the founding members of the World Boxing Council. Rudy Salud, as he was more popularly known, also at one time managed Z Gorres and Gerry Penalosa. This card is also dedicated to the people of Japan who are still suffering from the effects of the devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Former two time minimumweight world champion Katsunari Takayama spoke before the presscon and said that he plans to hold a fund raising on fight day for his country. The presscon was held at the Waterfront Hotel?s Aegean room and fight night will be at the Hotel?s Pacific Ballroom.
Top photo: Melindo and Vega pose during today final presscon.
AJ Banal and Francis Miyeyusho.
Rocky Fuentes and Jemmy Gobel.
Romeo Jakosalem and Steve Claggett.
Marjun Yap and Kenichi Yamaguchi.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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