Expecting A Joyous July
By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 22 Jun 2011
Filipino boxing fans await July with bated breath as two top Filipino flyweights figure in world championship battles against two Mexican titlists within two weeks of each other.
Adding to the excitement is the fact that the flyweight crown, which no Filipino has held for quite sometime now, is a sentimental title for us as we consider this division our territory periodically ruled by the likes of boxing greats Pancho Villa and Manny Pacquiao.
Former 2-time world junior flyweight champion Brian "Hawaiian Punch" Viloria, who at 30 is trying to regain lost glory in the ring, will go up against Julio Cesar "Pingo" Miranda July 16 in Honolulu, Hawaii for the Mexican's World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight title in a fight which I believe the Fil-Am fighter could easily win if he is in top shape.
Much earlier than the Miranda-Viloria world championship, a homegrown talent who is a product of a local government initiated grassroots sports program, Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong, 24, will travel to Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico to challenge power-puncher Hernan "Tyson" Marquez for the World Boxing Association (WBA) version of the title on July 2.
There used to be just one boxing title but because of the huge earnings from sanction fees, boxing organizations have sprouted like mushrooms, the more popular of which are the World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxing Federation (IBF), WBA, WBO and the European group International Boxing Organization (IBO).
I like Brian's chances against Miranda, a veteran fighter who holds a record of 35 wins, 5 losses and 1 draw with 28 knockouts.
Miranda, who won the vacant WBO flyweight title when Filipino Richie Mepranum gave up in the 5th round, is just one of the many so-so Mexican world champions who won boxing titles simply because Mexican promoters stage more championship fights for their boxers.
In his last fight against a Filipino challenger, Arden Diale, Miranda was knocked down before he succeeded in disposing of Diale who had to travel thousands of miles to get to Mexico for the chance to fight for a world boxing crown.
A well-conditioned Brian Viloria, 28 wins, 3 losses, 16 KOs, could beat Miranda. He also has the advantage of fighting in his turf as the fight will be held in Hawaii. But at 30, I am not sure how much gas is left in Brian's tank. That is an area of concern.
Dapudong, on the other hand, will enter the ring against Marquez a huge underdog because of the short notice given by the Mexican promoters, Zanfer. Marquez's original opponent apparently backed out prompting the promoters to call up the Philippines' ALA Boxing Promotions to look for a last minute replacement.
ALA Boxing, which holds a promotional contract over Dapudong, volunteered the young fighter from the Braveheart Boxing Club of North Cotabato mainly because he is the most prepared having fought June 11 in Cebu City. In that fight, the tall and lanky Dapudong showed world class boxing skills as he demolished previously undefeated Benja Loemoli of Indonesia in four rounds.
Fortunately, I told Dapudong after his relatively easy fight with Loemoli to stay in shape because with his lofty ratings in world boxing, he could be asked to fight for a world title anytime.
I was proven right. Dapudong weighed only 120 lbs. on the day he was informed of the "instant" championship bout. That is just 8 pounds over the weight limit with two weeks to go before the fight.
Entering the ring as an underdog is nothing new to Dapudong. In 2009, he fought heavy favorite Bert Batawang of Cebu City for the WBO Oriental Junior Flyweight title and knocked out the veteran Cebuano fighter in the 7th round.
On short notice, he was pitted against Mexico's Number 1 flyweight, Jesus "Zurdo" Jimenez in June 2010 for the World Boxing Council (WBC) silver flyweight title and knocked out the Mexican in just one round. An off-form Dapudong lost that title by decision in his first defense against another Mexican, Wilbert Uicab, in Cancun in September last year.
Marquez, 30 wins, 23 KOs with 2 losses, is no stranger to Filipino boxing fans. The red numbers in his boxing resume came from the hands of Nonito Donaire, Jr., who knocked him out in their flyweight championship bout, and power-puff puncher Mepranum who outpointed him in a non-title fight.
Admittedly, Marquez is the stronger puncher. But Dapudong, 22 wins, 2 losses (on points) and 14 KOs, at 5' 5" is taller by about three inches than the champion and enjoys an obvious reach advantage.
Just like the other Filipino fighters traveling to Mexico for very important fights, Dapudong's performance would depend on how well he absorbs the rigors of the long travel and how fast he recovers upon arriving in Mexico.
Dapudong may be an underdog against Marquez but I have a strong feeling that if he moved the way he fought the undefeated Indonesian two weeks ago, he will be able to realize North Cotabato's dream (and mine too, especially) of winning a world boxing title.
Viloria and Dapudong could very well make July a joyous month for Philippine boxing.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Manny Piñol.
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