GEN. SANTOS CITY?It was a fight that could?ve paved the way for 21- year-old Daryl Basadre to break into the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight rankings. He could?ve been a step closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a world champion.
But his dreams were shattered in an instant on June 6 in front of a hometown crowd at the Robinson?s Mall Atrium of Gen. Santos City.
With just a few seconds left in the second round, referee Ramuel Ovalo waived the fight, believing that Basadre was dazed, giving the win and the World Boxing Association (WBA) Oceania bantamweight belt to visiting Kenny Demecillo.
Basadre is 14-2-1 with 10 knockouts, while Demecillo of the Omega Boxing Gym in Cebu City is 9-3-1 with six knockouts.
Basadre, however, has a golden opportunity to change the direction of his career when he takes on Demecillo in a rematch for the vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) Asia bantamweight on Sept. 26 in the main event of Sanman Promotions? ?Brawl at the Mall – Revenge or Revalidation? at the Gaisano Mall Atrium.
?I was too complacent. I?m focusing my training on defense, I?m going to tighten up my guard so that his punches can?t penetrate,? Basadre said in yesterday?s press launch at the Sydney Hotel.?I?ll change my style. I?m going to use my skills, lateral movement and footwork and tighten up my guard.?
In their first meeting, Basadre was tagged by a left hook and was attacked by Demecillo with a barrage of punches. Basadre, however, said that he wasn?t hurt and was still able to defend the punches but near his corner he slipped and Ovalo thought that he was out on his feet and stopped the fight.
?I can?t accept that loss. I would have accepted it if it was a clear knockout,? said Basadre. ?I won?t guarantee a knockout but I?ll beat him every single round.?
Basadre is at a crucial part of his blossoming career, in which a win or lose could dictate his future.
?This is make-or-break for him. Daryl is one of the top amateur prospects here everything he has worked for will be at stake here. If he loses it?ll be a huge downfall,? said his young promoter Jim Claude Manangquil, the CEO of Sanman Promotions. ?I know Daryl Basadre is a top prospect. Before the (first) fight we thought he was ready but we were mistaken and we were back to the drawing board. Now that they have a rematch, we will see if he is ready. If he can?t beat Demecillo then he?s not ready for world class opponents.?
Sanman Promotions , a fast rising promotional outfit based in Gen. Santos, has high hopes for Basadre and is planning to give him a world title fight soon, that is if he gets past Demecillo. Manangquil?s target is either WBA bantamweight champion Jaime McDonnell or WBA Undisputed bantamweight king Juan Carlos Payano.
?I won?t waste the opportunity and the support that Sanman has given me,? said Basadre.
World Boxing Council (WBC) Asian Boxing Council Continental featherweight champion John Vincent Moralde (13-0, 7 KOs) trades leathers with Cebuano Jerry Castroverde (6-1, 3 KOs), while undefeated Rinmar Metuda (7-0, 3 KOs) squares off with Jason Tinampay (6-1, 5 KOs) in a couple of 10-rounders.
