Rey Loreto is ready for his first world title clash at Saturday's Monte-Carlo Boxing Bonanza
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 31 Jan 2014
MANILA, Philippines -- Rey "The Hitman" Loreto, the 23-year-old talented pug from Davao City is gunning for the vacant International Boxing Organization (IBO) light flyweight opposite 31-year-old South African Nkosinathi Joyi dubbed as Monte-Carlo Boxing Bonanza at the Sporting Monte-Carlo on Saturday.
"He's proven to be something of an upset king," said the 37-year-old Brico Santig, the matchmaker and promoter in the Philippines with the highest number of boxing events last year, including the exciting boxing cards "King of the Ring" staged at different PAGCOR Casino Filipino around Manila.
"We are ready for war," added the Baguio native Santig, the 2013 WBC Asia-Pacific Promoter of the year.
A professional since the age of 17, Loreto beat world ranked former WBA champion Thai warrior Pornsawan Porpramook via technical decision for the WBA interim Pan Asian Jr. Flyweight title last August in Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand.
Two years before, fighting again as a big underdog, Loreto knocked out world-rated Wisanu Kokietgym to annex the Pan Asian Light-Flyweight title.
The IBO, which is not one of the four most widely recognised international boxing associations, is known for an accommodating approach in sanctioning title fights.
The Joyi-Lorito fight is on the undercard of South African Rodney Berman's Golden Gloves Promotion, which features in the main bout unbeaten WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin against American-based Ghanaian Osumanu Adama.
Joyi's manager Siphatho Handi for his part said, "We are not taking the Filipino lightly. Under-estimating an opponent can sometimes boomerang and leave you with egg on your face."
In other scheduled bouts at Monte Carlo, Roman Belaev vs. Dean Byrne, 12, for the vacant WBA Continental welterweight title; Max Bursak vs. Jarrod Fletcher, 12, for Bursak's WBA Continental middleweight title and Ilunga Makabu vs. Ruben Angel Mino, 10, for cruiserweights.-Marlon Bernardino-
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025LEWIS CROCKER IS CROWNED THE NEW IBF WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Undercard Inferno: Mbilli and Martinez Deliver a Super Middleweight War Ending in a Thrilling Draw
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Crawford to defy odds?
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Inoue and Akhmadaliev Make Weight for Sunday's Battle, Watch it LIVE on Facebook!
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025IIEE North Cotabato and Metro Central are the Golden Champion on 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Chess
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Sydney Sy Tancontian is Female Awardee of Sports Hero of the Year
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Sep 2025Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Size Matters
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 13 Sep 2025