MAKE OR BREAK FOR MARCO IN MEXICO
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 16 Jan 2014
A hot prospect is only a couple of losses away from being labeled an undeserving pretender. That is one of the harsh realities of the fight game.
Marco Demecillo spent most of his career under the radar. He practiced his craft away from the television cameras in places like Dalaguete and Tuburan here in Cebu and Siaton and Bayawan in Negros Oriental.
With his punching power, he created his own buzz. Cebu sportswriters started to notice. And he was also one of those who snarled when he unleashed punishing body punches.
Demecillo, who fights out of the RWS Gym of Cebu, was 15-0-1 after he captured the Philippine superflyweight title by dethroning another undefeated and talented boxer, Marvin Mabait. Demecillo survived a first round knockdown to stop Mabait in the third in a thrilling battle held in Mactan, Cebu.
Three fights later he faced another unbeaten Filipino prospect Arthur Villanueva of the ALA Gym. The OPBF title bout held in Davao City last year was highly anticipated by hardcore fans and Cebu sportswriters. Villanueva gave a career best performance; the battle was intense but the lopsided scores truly reflected Villanueva?s boxing dominance.
Demecillo bounced back with a successful defense of his Philippine title by beating Giovani Escaner on points in Dipolog City. A member of the RWS Promotions staff who saw the fight told this writer that it was not an impressive victory. Demecillo looked vulnerable and questions arose as to where his career was headed.
Demecillo (19W-1L-1D, 14 KO?s) has not seen action since the win against Escaner last August . So it was a bit of a surprise when he was matched up as a late substitute against another rising Mexican prospect, David ?Tornado? Sanchez (23W-2L -2D, 18KO?s).They will fight for the vacant WBA International super flyweight title on January 18 (January 19 Philippine Time) at the Gimnasio del Estado, in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
Demecillo answered the call because his handlers are confident that he is in good shape having spent time as a sparring partner in Japan. But we have to take note that Sanchez beat Demecillo's stablemate Marlon Tapales, also a very skilled boxer, by majority decision last year also in Hermosillo.
Sanchez has also beaten boxers who have fought here in the Philippines ? Jean Piero Perez of Venezuela, who was knocked out in one round, and Juan Kantun of Mexico, who lost to Sanchez by TKO in the seventh round. Both Perez and Kantun went the full route in their respective fights against ALA boxers Milan Melindo and Rocky Fuentes.
Demecillo is now in Mexico but he will have to overcome the effects of jet lag. How will he react to hostile crowds in his first overseas outing? How much did he learn as a sparring partner in Japan?
Through the years, Filipino boxing fans have learned to use Manny Pacquiao as a yardstick to assess local prospects. Casual fans think the likes of Pacquiao grow on trees. Many local prospects who came up short have suffered because of this. Demecillo may be more fortunate that only those who religiously follow local boxing know his name. That will spare him from very high expectations. But he and his team realize the importance of this fight as far as the direction of his career and public perception is concerned.
Another reality of the fight game is that a fighter is only one punch away from rejuvenating his career. That is what makes this fight interesting. That is why we shouldn?t totally count Marco out.
TOP PHOTO - MARCO DEMECILLO
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