Denver Cuello?s chance of a lifetime is now
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 28 Jun 2013
?Oo sir, Ready na ako sa laban.? (Yes sir, I am ready for the fight.) Denver Cuello told me a couple of days ago when we chatted briefly while he was on break from his last minute preparation for tonight?s fight against WBC minimum weight champ, Xiong Zhao Zhong.
But in fact, Cuello, 26, has been ready for this title shot since 2011. He has been the division?s number one contender and holder of the WBC?s silver belt - a provisional title of the organization.
Cuello has been bypassed at least twice already of his right to earn that title shot that he has long been dreaming of. He waited, patiently at that, while taking interim fights from Mexico, the Philippines and Japan. He defended the silver belt successfully in four occasions after winning it two years ago. But Cuello dreams of one belt alone - the green belt - the WBC?s 105 pound diadem.
?Yun talaga ang pangarap ko, ang mag-world champion.? (That is really my dream, to become a world champion.) Cuello stated.
Tonight in the city by the desert known as the City of Gold, Cuello will reach for that dream.
And like any other boxer who fights for a crown, he will be carrying the hopes of his boxing-crazy countrymen in his shoulder. They will be scouring for streams in the internet for his fight which is expected to happen at eight o?clock in the evening in Dubai, that is at 12 midnight Manila time. They will be looking at this site for updates which we will try to bring to them. It is sad, that this fight isn?t carried live here in the Philippines given its importance- with a Filipino as a headliner in probably the city?s biggest boxing event of the year.
Filipino boxing fans are hoping that Cuello will end the losing streak that has plagued the national boxing landscape. Their champions and heroes have fallen, one after the other. They are starving for a win, a belt, a champion.
Denver Cuello knows the sentiments of his countrymen. He also understands that opportunities to challenge and fight for a world title are hard to land. Tonight is his chance and he vows to give it all tonight- for his country, his fans, his family, for himself.
You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com and on Twitter @Freemazon910.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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