PINOY PRIDE 22: A BATTLE FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 23 Oct 2013
CEBU CITY - It was Edgar ?Chololo? Martinez' turn to take the spotlight when he met members of the Cebu sports media to promote his upcoming fight against "King" Arthur Villanueva of the ALA gym in the main supporting bout for Pinoy Pride XXII: Revenge.
Team Martinez arrived in Cebu yesterday and they got a rather shocking welcome in their hotel room. The boxer from Chihuahua, Mexico was shaken by tremors at early dawn today and he woke up his trainer, Franco Gabaldon Herrera and told him that he felt his bed move.
Cebu is still experiencing aftershocks from the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that had its epicenter in the neighboring island of Bohol that resulted in the deaths of more than a hundred people.
Martinez (16-7, 10 KO?s) said that he will dedicate his fight to the victims of the quake. But he also said that he will come at Villanueva with a force of an earthquake or a tornado.
"My fists will be the last thing that Villanueva will see," He said.
Martinez was supposed to fight here in Cebu last August 1 against another top prospect Marlon Tapales of the RWS gym, on the undercard of the WBO bantamweight title match between deposed champion Paulus Ambunda of Namibia and Tomoki Kameda of Japan.
Martinez said that he when he got the call that he was not going to Cebu, he felt that he camp of Tapales "were just scared".
Martinez won by KO in his last five bouts. He suffered losses against the likes of Ivan Morales and Sammy Gutierrez. He said that Morales is the best boxer that he has faced.
On the surface, Martinez isn?t worried that he is a substitute opponent . ?I am always in the gym, I am always prepared. I came here to win. I am ready to fight,I know Filipinos are good fighters, It is always a good fight when Mexicans fight Filipinos. ?
Martinez describes himself as a technical fighter, ?I wait for a good opportunity to punch him, the correct time to punch him. When I fight, I fight an intelligent fight. I will try to go for a knockout, I know he is a strong guy, I don?t care if I win by decision or knockout as long as I will win.?
This is the second time that Herrera has visited Cebu. Last year, he was in the corner of Mexican Raul Hidalgo who lost to AJ Banal by 1st round TKO in Pinoy Pride XIII.
Herrera said that ?Being in Cebu feels like I am in Mexico. The people here love boxing, I feel very good here.?
Villanueva (22-0, 12 KO?s), won the OPBF superflyweight title last year in Japan and added another regional crown ? the WBO Asia Pacific title ? last July by beating Arturo Badillo of Mexico by 4th round TKO at the Solaire Resort and Casino. Martinez vs Villanueva will be for the WBO's International title.
Pinoy Pride XXII will be headlined by the intriguing match-up between WBO Asia-Pacific Super Bantamweight champ Genesis ?Azukal? Servania (22-0, 8KOs), also from ALA gym, against Rafael ?El Torito? Concepcion (18-6, 8KOs)of Panama for the WBO's Intercontinental belt.
The press conference was held Wednesday at the FORMO Restaurant at the Banilad Town Center.
The Filipino boxers on the card have also dedicated their fights to the earthquake victims. Part of the ticket sales of the event will be donated to the relief effort facilitated by #Bangon Sugbohol , a collective effort of concerned individuals, institutions and non-profit organizations organized to help the victims of the earthquake.
Photo - above Edgar Martinez, below -with trainer Franco Gabaldon Herrera (left)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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