LANDERO WINS OPBF MINIMUM WEIGHT TITLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 09 May 2010
Michael Landero has won the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation vacant minimum weight title with a 9th round TKO over Japan?s Kenichi Horikawa in Osaka, Sunday.
Landero?s manager Rommel Nazario, son of the late Rod Nazario who was father-figure, mentor and business manager of pound?for-pound king Manny Pacquiao reported that Landero had Horikawa groggy in the sixth round and was battering him in the ninth when the referee decided to call a halt.
One of the most promising young Filipino boxers, the 23 year old Landero followed in the footsteps of Randy Suico who recently won the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation title light welterweight title with a 5th round TKO of Kyung Suk Kwak in South Korea and hard-hitting Rocky Fuentes who had earlier won the flyweight crown.
Landero faced off with Horikawa for the title which was relinquished by champion Yasutaka Kuroki who challenged WBC straw weight champion Oleydong Sithsamercahi of Thailand and lost by a twelve round unanimous decision last March 27.
With the victory Landero?s record improved to 13-4-4 with 3 knockouts. He was coming off a twelve round unanimous decision over tough Roel Lagonero in the first defense of his Philippine minimum weight title which he won on November 21, 2009 with a 5th round TKO of Rollen del Castillo.
Prior to his departure Landero told us he will ?do everything possible to win the title and that his fight plan is to be on the offensive and attack his opponent from the start like a true fighter.?
Landero had trained for more than two months returns at 1:00 p.m. Monday along with his trainer, former boxer Erickson Asilo and Joel Pongyan who was given the opportunity to travel by Nazario.
TV boxing analyst Moy Lainez told us before Landero?s departure that he was in top shape and had been training hard and even knocked down many-time world light flyweight challenger Juanito Rubillar in sparring. Lainez predicted Landero will win by knockout.
After losing a ten round unanimous decision to world title challenger Denver Cuello in August 2008, Landero won five and drew one of his next six fights.
The 30 year old Horikawa has a record of 19-7-1 with 4 knockouts. Horikawa dropped a unanimous ten round decision to Akira Yaegashi in a clash for the vacant Japan title on June 21, 2009 but came back to scored a unanimous six round decision over Yasushi Matsushita.
Horkawa was ranked No. 3 while Landero was ranked No. 1 by the OPBF.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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