DELA TORRE, NAZARENO IN PACQUIAO-RIOS UNDERCARD
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 23 Nov 2013
Nazareno.
MACAU, China ? A pair of young, up and coming Filipino pugs will be fighting in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Brandon Rios welterweight encounter this Sunday in the hope of making a big stride towards international recognition at the Cotai Arena of the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel here.
Twenty four year-old Philippine super welterweight contender Dan Nazareno collides with British counterpart Liam Vaughan in a four-round battle between Pacquiao?s sparring partners both will be using as springboard to attain overnight stardom.
Harmonito dela Torre, a 19-year-old junior lightweight prospect fighting out of Cagayan de Oro, on the other hand, faces Indonesian Jason Butar Butar in six rounds similarly in quest of fame and fortune.
?Masayang-masaya", exclaimed Nazareno, upon learning his good fortune of seeing action with the legendary Pacquiao, whom he helped prepare for his come back bout following almost a year in hibernation. ?Mabuti na lang at napili ako at salamat kay Boss Manny sa pagbibigay niya sa akin ng pagkakataong maging sparring partner niya,? Nazareno, who was supposed to fight in Japan on Monday but landed instead in the Top Rank promoted card said.
Nazareno (17-10 with 13 KOs), managed by Rommel Nazario, son of Pacquiao?s former manager, the late Rods Nazario, is ranked no. 6 contender in his division in the country.
Calling the shots in his corner will be former world flyweight and bantamweight titlist Dodie Boy Penalosa and brother Jonathan Penalosa when he climb the ring against Vaughan (8-1 with 2KOs).
Nazareno started as a secondary spar mate of the Pacman in his Wild Card Gym in General Santos City but landed instead as a regular dance partner along with Vaughan a prot?g? of the Filipino ring hero?s chief trainer Freddie Roach.
?A dream come true,? Dela Torre, who is now based in General Santos, said, upon his arrival in this ?Dream City? on board a Philippine Airlines chartered flight along with members of Team Pacquiao. Supporting the 12-round scuffle between Pacquiao and Rios for the WBO international welterweight belt, is another 12-round skirmish between Billy Dib of Australia and Russian Evgeny Gradovich for the International Boxing Federation featherweight diadem.
Also appearing in the 84-round card presented by Top Rank are Tor Hamer of New York and Andy Cruz of Mexico who will meet over 10 rounds, Chinese Olympian Zou Shiming and Mexican Juan ?Polio? Toscano (6 rounds) and Puerto Rican Felix Verdejo and Thai Petchsamuth Duanaaymukdahan (6 rounds).
Rounding out the card are the Susu Sithjadeang-Rex Tso scrap (6 rounds), You-jieZeng-Kuok Kun Ng face off (4 rounds) and Hero Tsito vs Ik Yang (8 rounds).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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