DAPUDONG'S IBO TITLE FIGHT BATTLE-CRY, KO OR BUST
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 06 Jun 2013
IBO flyweight challenger Edrin ?The Sting? Dapudong has got the message from his manager, former North Cotabato governor Manny Pinol, in his build-up to a title rematch with South Africa?s Gideon Buthelezi on June 15 at Emperor?s Palace in Johannesburg, loud and clear.
Pinol told the Manila Standard ?It's KO or bust?, well aware of the many hometown decisions in South Africa, the last being Buthelezi?s twelve round split decision over Dapudong to win the vacant IBO title last November 10.
The International Boxing Organization headed by its president Ed Levine ordered a rematch after the decision was criticized even by the South African media with one report stating that the result ?brought disbelieving tears to the eyes of vanquished Filipino Edrin Dapudong.?
Promoter Rodney Berman himself admitted ?there was a great deal of controversy over the judges? decision. Many observers believed that Dapudong had done enough to take the split points decision.?
Berman added, ?we will be happy to clear the air by staging a rematch and putting an end to the controversy once and for all? even as he expressed confidence that Buthelezi who he described as ?a top class fighter will surely relish the opportunity to show that he is a deserving IBO champion by retaining his title in convincing fashion and without any disputes.?
Pinol told us he will leave with Dapudong and trainer Bruce Lirio for South Africa on Monday and that Aljoe Jaro who is supervising Dapudong?s training will visit Dubai first, to check on the June 28 title fight of his minimum weight mandatory challenger Denver Cuello who will battle Chinese champion Xiong Zhao Zhong, before proceeding to Johannesburg for the Dapudong fight.
Pinol said that Dapudong ?is in good shape and has been training for so long.? He said the weather wouldn?t be a problem because the weather in Johannesburg is like Manila and ?it won?t be difficult.?
He said they had ?briefed Dapudong on the fight strategy. To win, we need to knock him (Buthelezi) out.?
The 26 year old southpaw Buthelezi has a record of 13-3 with 4 knockouts indicating he is no big puncher while Dapudong has a record of 28-5 with 16 knockouts and should he duplicate his showing against fancied Mexican Jesus Jimenez whom he knocked out in the 1st round to win the vacant WBC Silver titl on June 19, 2010 he has a good chance of beating Buthelezi and winning the world title.
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