World Boxing Council (WBC) Flyweight Silver Champion Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong, the Philippines No. 3 Pound-for-Pound Best Boxer, leaves on Sept.4 for the United States two weeks ahead of his scheduled title defense against NABO and Mexican Flyweight Champion Wilbert "Hurricane" Uicab in Cancun, Mexico Sept. 17.
Dapudong, 24, a product of the grassroots boxing program of former North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol and the province's first world champion, will be accompanied by his manager, Manny Pinol, and chief trainer, Noli Pinol.
The team will be flying in through San Francisco for a one-day stop-over and rest in Salinas Valley before proceeding to Los Angeles to continue their training and conditioning at the Fortune Gym in Hollywood owned by Manny Pacquiao's former conditioning coach Justin Fortune.
On Sept. 12, the team will proceed to Cancun, one week ahead of scheduled to ensure that Dapudong will be able to acclimatize well and get adjusted to the conditions in Mexico.
"We do not want a repeat of the last experience of Edrin where he arrived in Tepic City only two days before the scheduled fight with Jesus Jimenez," said Manny Pinol.
Dapudong, called the "Barefoot Boxing Prince" by journalist Recah Trinidad, fought Jimenez on June 19 in Tepic City with only a two-week notice. He spent three days of the two week preparation lining up before the US embassy to obtain a transit visa.
He, however, surprised everyone in Mexico when he knocked out Jimenez in the first round of a scheduled 12-round bout.
"We are better prepared now," said chief trainer Noli who has supervised the 2-month preparation of Dapudong for the first title defense.
International promoter Sampson Lewkowicz who handles the fights of Dapudong has earlier committed that a victory by Dapudong over Uicab could lead to bigger fights against more popular fighters.
While considered as one of the best Filipino fighters now and rated No. 3 Pound for Pound in the Philippines by boxrec.com and No. 3 best flyweight fighter in the world, the unassuming and humble 5' 6" tall Dapudong is largely unknown to many boxing fans.
The fight against Uicab will be carried live by ESPN and will be shown in the morning of Sept. 18.(pr)
No comments:
Post a Comment