Movement — and lots of it — will be the key when MIchael Dasmariñas attempts to dethrone Naoya “Monster” Inoue as world bantamweight king this Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) in Las Vegas.
Art Monis, the chief handler of the Filipino mandatory challenger, told Daily Tribune that his fighter can’t afford to blink against the stone-fisted Japanese in their scheduled 12-rounder that is set at the Virgin Hotel.
“Naoya Inoue is a spotter,” Monis said when asked to size up the undefeated Inoue, who proudly reigns as the 118-lb champion in the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation.
“You have to move all the time whenever you are in the ring with him,” Monis said.
“If you stay put, he will unload with full force and that’s something you don’t want to happen.”
Dasmariñas, the massive underdog, Monis swears, has the tools needed to avoid falling into a trap.
“He trained long and hard for this. He knows what to do,” Monis said.
Monis will serve as cutman while former world champion Tacy Macalos will call the shots in the corner. Assisting them is Ting Ariosa, the US-based longtime former member of the coaching staff of the Philippine national team.
While Monis swears by Dasmariñas’ hard work and determination, another often-unseen factor is big fights could decide the outcome of the title fight which ringsiders see could end in a quick and violent manner in Inoue’s favor.
World Boxing Organization titleholder John Riel Casimero, another major player in the bantamweight class, is not entirely dismissing the southpaw Dasmariñas’ chances of pulling off an earth-shaking win.
“If there’s one thing you don’t take for granted when facing an opponent is his hunger (to win),” Casimero said.
“Dasmariñas has been longing to fight and win a world title,” said Casimero, who arrived in Las Vegas last week to prepare for a 14 August clash with Cuban Guilleromo Rigondeaux. Not only is Casimero cheering for Dasmariñas come fight night at ringside.
The flashy fighter also intends on betting on Dasmariñas.
