THERE is no other option but to win.
That?s unbeaten Arthur Villanueva?s frame of mind going into the biggest fight of his career so far.
Villanueva doesn?t care if he?s treading on unknown soil to fight one of the top super flyweight prospects in the world. All he thinks about is achieving a dream, by bringing home the coveted gold back to the Philippines.
?I?m not thinking that I?m fighting in the US. Instead, I?m thinking that this is my last chance to fight for a world title and I won?t let this chance slip away,? Villanueva told Sun.Star Cebu.
The 26-year-old Villanueva is slated against fellow unbeaten McJoe Arroyo for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight belt on July 18 at the Don Haskins Convention Center in El Paso,Texas, USA.
Arroyo is indeed the most talented opponent that Villanueva has ever faced. The 29-year-old Puerto Rican is an accomplished amateur that has been to the Olympics and a tested pro with an unblemished slate. In his last three fights he has fought and beat some of the division?s most credible names, the likes of former world champion Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez, Filipino Mark Anthony Geraldo, and World Boxing Association (WBA) No. 1 and The Ring No. 10 super flyweight David Sanchez.
He has a record of 16-0 with eight knockouts and is ranked No. 1 in the IBF, No. 7 in the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and No. 9 in The Ring super flyweight division.
?Arroyo is talented and I see him as the toughest and hardest fight of my career but I?m still positive that I?ll win this fight,? said Villanueva.
Villanueva, himself, is also one of the best 115-pound prospects out there. He is 27-0 with 14 knockouts and is also rated highly in the major world boxing sanctioning bodies. He is third in the WBO and IBF, No. 7 in the WBA, No. 12 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) and sixth in The Ring.
?My preparation is doing okay. There are a lot of adjustments in my movement because now Coach Edito (Villamor) and Coach Nick (Curson) are the ones handling my training. But it?s going well because I easily learned what they taught me. At first, I felt a little bit pressured but now my mind is relax and I have positive thoughts that I will be victorious in this fight,? said Villanueva, who is coming off a one-sided unanimous decision over former world champion Julio Cesar Miranda. ?I?m not targeting a knockout but rather an impressive win. But if a chance of a knockout comes, then I?ll do it.?
