MATEO HANDIG SINGWANCHA BECOMES MANDATORY CHALLENGER TO MEXICAN IBF WORLD CHAMP MARIO "DRAGONCITO" RODR?GUEZ
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 15 Oct 2012
After his razor thin 12-round split decision win over experienced Japanese two-time world champion Katsunari Takayama to capture the IBF Pan Pacific Title last Saturday night in Benguet, Philippines, "The Warai Warror" Mateo Handig Singwancha of the Philippines (left in the photo), has been confirmed as the mandatory challenger to the newly crowned IBF Mini Flyweight World Champion Mario "Dragoncito" Rodr?guez of Sinaloa, M?xico.
However, the now world's #1 Mateo Handig Singwancha (13-5, 7KO's), who hails from the paradisaical Northern Samar, will not be required by the IBF to immediately defend his newly acquired Pan-Pacific (105 lbs/ 47.62 kgs) title.
Instead, Handig and his managers Filipino Brico Santig and Thai businessman Naris Singwancha are required to wait till early January when negotiations with the Mexican world champion team can begin, indicated from New Jersey American Lindsey E. Tucker, Jr., IBF/USBA Championship Chairman:
"Normally, you (Mateo Handig Singwancha) would be expected to defend the (Pan-Pacific) Title against a credible opponent within 6 months. However, since you are now the IBF #1 Mini Flyweight, you don?t have to defend the Title now. You will be notified on January 1, 2013 to start negotiations with IBF Mini Flyweight Champion Mario Rodriguez for his mandatory defense," informed Lindsey Tucker.
The IBF Mini Flyweight (108 lbs) World Champion Mario "Dragoncito" Rodr?guez (15-6-4, 11KO's) claimed the prestigious Red/Golden world title belt by knocking out the previously unbeaten champ Nkosinathi Joyi (22-1, 15KO's) of Eastern Cape, South Africa.
The ever dangerous Joyi began dominating the rumble with Dragoncito by using his excellent boxing skills, but quickly ran out of gas. That was bad. The younger Rodr?guez then took control pummeling his opponent's body, finally dropping the brave South African during the vicious action of round 7.
Joyi, who had taken some serious blows, could not get up from canvas of the municipal gym in Guasave, Sinaloa M?xico. At the 2:07 mark American referee Pete Podgorski "The Polish Hammer" of Chicago declared the effective KO, and a jubilant "Dragoncito" became the new IBF world Minimumweight world champ.
The 23 year-old Filipino mandatory challenger Mateo Handig Singwancha fights under the Highland Boxing of Filipino Brico Santig (the current WBC Asian promoter of the year) and Thailand's boxing patron Naris Singwancha; while world champion Mario "Dragoncito" Rodr?guez has been jointly promoted by Promociones del Pueblo, HG Boxing, Boxeo de Gala and BOX LATINO (the promotion company of Erik "El Terrible" Morales).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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