Former 2016 Olympian and three times South-East Asian Games gold medalist Charly Suarez aims to win a world title at super featherweight even if it is for the fringe International Boxing Organization or IBO.
The still undefeated Suarez (14-0, 8 KOs) is scheduled to fight Australian Paul Fleming, also unbeaten at 28 wins and one draw, with 22 KOs on March 15, 2023 in Sydney with four International titles at stake including for the IBO Intercontinental super featherweight crown which is also sanctioned as world title eliminator.
If Suarez beats Fleming, he hopes to join countryman flyweight Dave Apolinario as IBO world champion by taking on reigning IBO super featherweight titlist Anthony Cacece of North Ireland in his next major fight this year.
Since joining the paid ranks in 2019, the year he won his last SEA Games gold medal at lightweight in Manila, Suarez's pro career has been on an overdrive resulting to 14 straight victories.
Among Suarez's prominent victims included Tomjune Mangubat, Carlo Magali and Indonesian Defry Palulu whom he defeated decisively for the WBA and IBF Asia and the Philippine national titles.
If successful, Suarez would be our first world super featherweight champion since Manny Pacquiao in 2008. Four other Filipinos have won world titles in the division led by Gabriel Flash Elorde that also include Rene Barrientos, Ben Villaflor and Rolando Navarette.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
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