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Rodel Mayol aims at another belt with support of country, family and Pacquiao PhilBoxing.com Fri, 23 Mar 2012  Rodel Mayol arrived in Sonora, Mexico Tuesday night with a dream. He dreams to once again have that glittery championship belt wrapped around his waist, to once become a world champion. He had a taste of it before only to lose it less than seven months after winning it. He defended the WBC flyweight belt twice against Omar Nino Romero of Mexico, drawing the first and then eventually losing his second bout with Romero and his belt in June of 2010 in Mexico. He now returns to the same country two years after that defeat and two years after that belt was taken away from him. It took a little less than two years for Batang Mandaue to get another crack at the world title. After fighting four low profile fights since that loss to Romero, Mayol is now poised at another opportunity to be the owner of another world flyweight title. This time it's the WBA belt that Hernan "Tyson" Marquez owns. "Ready na sa fight!" was Mayol's initial response to me when I spoke to him over the phone before leaving for Mexico. Mayol left for Mexico with fellow Filipino fighter Richie Mepranum and their team from LAX on board Aero Mexico. Mepranum fights in the co - feature fight of Saturday's event at the Centro de Uses Multiples in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora Mexico. TRAINING IN CEBU Mayol spent majority of his training camp in the Philippines. He trained under the watchful eyes of trainers Nonoy Neri and Jeremiah Quijano in Cebu City. "Maganda yung training namin doon. Naka-spar ako ng mahigit 100 rounds. Maganda yung training camp naming." (We had a great training camp there. I sparred more than 100 rounds. It was a great training camp.) Mayol told me. He sparred with local fighters in Cebu and also did sparring with the Kameda brothers of Japan. He sparred with mostly left handed fighters to prepare him against Marquez who is a southpaw. " Magagaling yung mga kaliwete from Cagayan de Oro na naka - sparring ko. Mga baguhan at wala pang talo." ( I sparred with southpaws from Cagayan de Oro who are really good. They are bright prospects without any losses in their records.) said Mayol. Mayol and his team wound down his training this fight week, confident that they have covered all their bases going to Saturday's fight with Marquez. " Technique na lang ng konti at kukunin na lang iyong timbang." ( We will just be refining our techniques and make the weight.) he declared. The bout is set for 112 pounds, the maximum flyweight weight in boxing. Mayol weighed in at 116 at the start of this week and is certain he will make the contracted weight. THE MEXICAN TYSON Hernan "Tyson" Marquez holds an impressive record of 32 wins against 2 defeats, 25 of those wins are by the way of knockouts. It is worth noting that he suffered those two defeats against two Filipino fighters in Mepranum himself and Nonito Donaire Jr. He rebounded after his 2010 loss to Donaire. He won five straight bouts, all of them via knockouts. Mayol is aware of Marquez's power and has plans in place against the Mexican. " Bakbakan ito kaya pinaghandaan namin." (This will be a war and we are ready for one.) he told me. " Yung style ni Marquez ay gustong makipagsabayan, gustong makipagsuntukan kaya pinaghandaan namin ito. " ( Marquez's style is to mix it up with fighters, and we planned for it.) he added. Marquez wants to slug it out in the ring and Mayol is expecting an all out war come Saturday night. " Giyera ito." ( It's going to be war.) Mayol is excited that he is once again given the opportunity to fight for another world title. " Excited ako na aakyat sa titulo na naman at makuha itong flyweight belt. " ( I'm excited to fight for another title and have a chance to win this belt.) He asks that his countrymen pray for him and for Marquez as well, that they both will be safe in the ring this Saturday. " Sana maganda yung fight namin at wala sanang mangyaring masama sa aming dalawa." ( I hope that it will be a good fight and that nothing bad will happen to the two of us.) he humbly uttered. He is also hoping that there will be fairness in this bout knowing that it will be held in his opponent's hometown. " Sana fair yung decision kung saka - sakali at fair yung judges ng laban." ( I hope there is fairness with the outcome of the decision and that the judges are fair as well.) he added. THE PACQUIAO FACTOR Mayol spoke to his manager and friend Manny Pacquiao before heading out to battle in Mexico. "Nakausap ko siya at nag-good luck siya. Atsaka yung suporta nya naNdiyan. ( I spoke to him and he wished me luck on my fight. His support is always there.) he narrated. He said that Pacquiao supports him fully even with the financial needs of this camp. Mayol trains with some of Pacquiao's team , especially trainer, Nonoy Neri. Coach Nonoy seconded his ward's assesment of their training camp. "Maganda yung training. Ready na kami." ( Training was great. We are ready.) he said. "Talagang seryoso siya sa training." ( Mayol was really serious about his training.) he added. Neri is aware of Marquez's powerful left hand and verbalized that they have studied his style during camp. " Ingat lang kami sa overhand left ni Marquez. Yun ang pamatay niya." ( We should be wary of his overhand left, that is his killer punch.) he disclosed. THE SACRIFICE OF THE MAYOLS Rodel Mayol is a fighter with a purpose as he took the four hour plane ride to Ciudad Obregon last Tuesday. He has been in and out of planes of late, making trips to the Philippines to train and to Los Angeles where he resides with his wife Lira and their oldest son, Bryce who is 8 years old. Their youngest son, Brent 3, is still in the Philippines finishing the school year. Mayol has also been a man of sacrifice, enduring months of being away from his family to train for this fight. One that he acknowledges as part of his profession. Lira understands it as well and is fully supportive of Rodel. " I totally support him. He has to grow in his field. I cannot hold him. I'm just always around." she said. Lira Mayol has been sacrificing as well. She knows she cannot be around him during training as she tends to Bryce and her work in Los Angeles. She tells me that it has been her " endless whining" to Rodel that they can't have a normal family set -up. But then she realizes that this is what Rodel does and is fully committed on supporting him. " Even our kids has to understand. I know that they don't understand but I just have to explain it to them and make them get used to it." she shared. " He's a great husband and father. I can't ask for more." added Lira. Lira Mayol said that Bryce, their youngest will be joining them next week. He will be arriving next Thursday with his grandfather, Rodel's dad and joining them in L.A. "It will be Rodel's price after winning the belt." she jokingly told me. Lira won't be able to join Rodel in Mexico this coming Saturday but makes it clear that she will be with him in spirit. She constantly prays for his safety and wishes him all the luck in the world as he enters the ring. " I hope that he will be safe and that he comes back to us safely." expressed Lira. " And that he brings the belt back home too." she added. Rodel is appreciative of Lira and his family's understanding and support as he prepared for this fight. " Nagpapasalamat ako at naiintindihan nila ako kaya ganado ako sa fight," ( I am thankful that they understand me that is why I am inspired going to this fight.) Rodel commented. Rodel Mayol need not look far to draw motivation this Saturday. It is all in front of him. His dreams of becoming a world champion is one of them but most important of it all are the hopes of his country and his family. If he yearns for inspiration, all he needed to do is to look at our flag in his corner to push him forward. And if the going gets tough, all he needed to do is to remember Lira, Bryce and Brent. Rodel will surely not want to disappoint them. You can email the author at rrmaze24@aol.com for reactions to this piece. Click here for a complete listing of columns by this author. Click here for a complete listing of this author's articles from different news sources. |
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