SILVANO DETERMINED TO KEEP MOMENTUM GOING BY WINNING IBF MINIMUMWEIGHT TITLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 02 Dec 2013
Filipino challenger Vergilio Silvano is determined to keep the momentum of the country?s winning streak going when he faces IBF minimum weight champion Katsunari Takayama of Japan in Osaka on Tuesday.
It will be the first title defense of Takayama who at one time was under the promotional arm of the famed ALA Promotions.
The 30 year old Takayama won the title from Mexico's Mario Rodriguez with a unanimous decision in the Mexican city of Guasave in March.
The Osaka fight will be on a double billing, with a unified super flyweight title match between Japan's IBF champion Daiki Kameda and WBA title-holder Liborio Solis of Venezuela.
It will be Takayama's first fight at home in four years and five months. He gave up his Japanese professional boxing licence in late 2009 to concentrate on fighting abroad. But he regained the license in July after winning the IBF crown.
The Japan Times quoted Takayama who said "I have come home after building up my career abroad to toughen myself up. "He has a record of 25 wins, 10 of them by knockout, and six losses to his name.
Takayama added "I fought amid a hail of booing each time. I am excited to battle at home in Osaka. It will be the first time in a long while that I may fight without hearing boos."
The 23 year old southpaw Silvano who is handled by well-known promoter Sammy Gello-ani is ranked No. 6 by the IBF and has a record of 17 wins, 10 of them inside the distance, two losses and one draw.
After losing two of his first three four-round bouts as a professional in 2007, Silvano has strung up 17 wins in a row. He won the vacant WBO Oriental light flyweight title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Jetly Purisima last September 7.
Gello-ani earlier told the Manila Standard that the young prospect is ?very disciplined, trains hard and is strong.?
Silvano hopes to keep the resurgence going following the spectacular victories of ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao, 2012 ?Fighter of the Year? Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Nonito Donaire and WBO champions Donnie Nietes and Merlito ?Tiger? Sabillo who retained their titles in contrasting fashion at the Araneta Coliseum last Saturday.
Photo: Silvano (R) and Takayama pose during the press conference in Osaka, Japan.
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