IBF mandatory challenger Florante Condes, acknowledged as the small version of Manny Pacquiao, has already logged some 106 rounds of sparring under him, and will get another ten tomorrow as he continues to prepare for his June 16 challenge of IBF minimumweight kingpin Muhammad Rachman in Jakarta, Indonesia. “He’s always been sparring against three different boxers,” informed Condes’ co-manager Aljoe Jaro. Rachman versus Condes is a classic boxer-puncher match-up, and figures to be a competitive fight. In his last titular defense, the fast-moving, busy-punching Rachman defeated Filipino Benjie Sorolla via seventh-round TKO in a choice defense also held in Jakarta. The IBF then ordered Rachman to honor his mandatory, and installed Condes after a couple of fighters turned down the offer to challenge Rachman. Jaro had tapped the services of RP light-flyweight champ Sonny Boy Jaro, top-ranked flyweight Danilo Lerio, and Roberto Lerio to spar with the dynamite-fisted Condes. Today, a non-practice day, Jaro said Condes has not been going out of his house, opting to focus on his upcoming fight. “We’re just here in my house, we just sing our hearts out. Florante is now a virtual recluse. His job is to rest, eat and train,” said Jaro, who revealed that the bachelor Condes has been weighing at an ideal 107 lbs after workout. MORE ASIAN UPDATES: Thailand’s Nethra Sasiprapa will face Argentinian Juan Carlos Reveco for the vacant WBA 108-lb title on June 23 in Argentina. Sasiprapa, now trained by Filipino John Michael Palacios, is unbeaten in 17 fights with 7 KO’s, while Reveco is also unscathed in 15 fights with 6 stoppages…Unbeaten Filipino prospect Jundy ‘Pretty Boy’ Maraon returns on June 30 against an Indonesian foe in Mlang, North Cotabato. Also slated to see action are Maraon’s stablemates Glenn Gonzales and Glen Porras…Randy Suico will defend his OPBF lightweight title on July 21 in Cebu City. Also set for the night are Jimrex Jaca and Eriberto ‘Yukka’ Gejon…WBC no. 3 minimumweight Rodel Mayol has asked the Games and Amusements Board to act on his request to terminate contract with manager Yasuo Matsuoka of Japan. Mayol is currently in the US hoping to land a fight soon…WBC Youth superbantam champ Bernabe Concepcion is among those being considered to see action in a fight card being readied for the WBC Convention in Manila in November.
