FLORANTE CONDES TO CHALLENGE WORLD CHAMPION HEKKIE BUDLER FOR THE IBO WORLD TITLE THIS SATURDAY IN SOUTH AFRICA
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 17 Sep 2012
One more shot at stardom for the "Little Pacquiao". Former IBF world champ Florante Condes, aka "The Little Pacquiao" of Looc, Romblon will come back to the ring to challenge 2-division world champion Hekkie Budler for the IBO minimumweight world title this Saturday (Sept 22) at the Emperor's Palace in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa.
Condes and his team already left for South Africa via Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong, where the Filipinos will connect with a South African Airlines direct flight to Johannesburg.
"After months away from boxing, Condes will fight for the IBO world title in South Africa. It's not easy fight, but its also a great chance for Condes to become a world champion again. To achieve that, he trained hard at the Highland Gym in La Trinidad, Benguet, with trainer former Filipino champ Alan Alegria," said manager Brico Santig to Philboxing before departing for South Africa.
In preparation for his coming big battle, Condes completed near three months of rigorous training, which included 150 rounds of effective sparring sessions with stablemates Alvin Bais, Mateo Handig, Roilo Golez, Jay Estremos and Rey Megrino.
Additionaly, Condes had daily jogging in the fresh mountainous beautiful country side of the Municipality of Trinidad right besides fields strawberries and green vegetables, a peaceful paradisaical area called by many "The Salad Bowl of the Philippines."
In his last fight in June of last year in Bangkok, Florante Condes lost a 12-round unanimous decision to undefeated thai Wanheng Menayothin (23-0, 7KO's).
Then, an accident while playing basketball kept "The Little Pacquiao" out of the ring for nearly a year.
"But now everything is OK, the long rest was good for Condes and the sparring sessions got him in top shape," shared Santig whose boxing promotions company is based in La Trinidad.
Despite the inactivity, Santig and trainer Alegria are confident that the veteran 32-year-old Condes has the experience, will and boxing talent required to grav the championship belt from the fresher South African world champ Hekkie Budler, eight years younger than the Filipino.
It will be the first title defense for the South African Budler.
Hekkie Budler (20-1, 6KO's) won the vacant IBO minimumweight (105 lbs) belt in a 12-round unanimous decision victory over Filipino Michael Landero in September of last year in Kempton Park, South Africa.
Prior to that success, Budler was the IBO light flyweight (108 lbs) world champ, a vacant title that he won from Filipino Juanito Rubillar in February of 2010.
Florante Condes (25-6-1, 21KO's), will be assisted in his IBO title in South Africa by Apolinar Valencia, Rolando Angel and team leader Brico Santig.
The four are already on the way to South Africa as the title fight is this Saturday (Sept 22).
Good luck Florante Condes!
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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