Barriga.
Unable to get the better of the fighter he personally handpicked as a sparring partner while preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, light flyweight Mark Anthony Barriga has turned pro and will make his debut against Mark Anthony Florida at the Philippine Navy Gym in Taguig City on June 18.
ABAP executive director Ed Picson recalled recently that when Barriga was preparing for the London Olympics where he was the sole Filipino boxer who qualified, he asked Barriga who he would wish to recruit as a sparring partner. Barriga picked the then unknown Rogen Ladon.
When asked why he picked Ladon, Barriga told Picson he was quick, had good footwork, was pesky and would be all over you.
That proved to be correct and in the end Ladon decided that since he couldn?t beat Ladon to the 2016 Rio Olympics he?d be better off turning pro.
Florida has a record of 9-6 with 7 knockouts but is coming off a beating at the hands of Melvin Jerusalem when he was forced to retire in the 7th round of a ten round bout against the unbeaten minimum weight on June 28 last year.
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