FUENTES DEFENDS OPBF TITLE VS MUKAI IN JAPAN TODAY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 20 Aug 2011
Rocky Fuentes.
Hard-hitting Rocky Fuentes, the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation champion flyweight champion will make the fourth defense of his title against undefeated Japanese challenger Hirofumi Mukai at the Sumiyoshi Ward Center in Osaka later today.
The 25 year old champion from the famed ALA Gym in Cebu has a record of 26-6-2 with 17 knockouts while Mukai who is the same age is undefeated with a record of 5-0 with no knockouts to his name. However, the Japanese southpaw who stands 5?7 1/2? will have a decided height advantage over Fuentes who is 5?3?.
Mukai who is a super flyweight and even fought as a bantamweight has come down to 112 to battle Fuentes. He is ranked No. 10 in the world by the WBC. Fuentes, on the other hand, is ranked by all four leading world organizations. He is No. 5 in the IBF, No. 6 in the WBC, No. 7 in the WBO and No. 9 in the WBA.
Fuentes won the title with a hard-fought twelve round majority decision over Masafumi Okuba on March 9, 2010 in Tokyo. He successfully defended the title in a cracking fight against Shigetaka Ikehara, winning by an 11th round TKO on June 5, 2010.
Fuentes scored an 8th round TKO over another Japanese challenger Yasuto Aritomi on September 5, 2010 before demolishing Thailand?s Inthanon Sithchamuang on November 27, 2010. In his last fight Fuentes won an eight round unanimous decision in what was seen as a disappointing performance against Indonesia?s Jemmy Gobel.
Trainer Edito ?Ala? Villamor who is in Osaka with young and promising trainer Joseph Baldago said Fuentes was in great shape and ready to score an impressive win that may soon put him in line for a world title shot. In Osaka, Fuentes has been working out at the Grace Boxing Gym.
Mukai scored a big win when he defeated the Philippines Sonny Boy Jaro over ten rounds on February 5, 2010 and is reportedly primed to take the title away from Fuentes.
Strength and conditioning coach Pio Solon told the Daily Inquirer that they had worked on Fuentes? shoulder injury and it hadn?t bothered him during training camp. Solon said Fuentes is ?also keyed in on his weight management for the first time and I?m actually happy.?
Solon said the champion had told him ?this is the strongest he has ever felt? and had implemented his fight strategy well during sparring sessions at the ALA Gym with boxers like Marjohn Yap.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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