WITH his trademark gladiator outfit, Australian warrior Michael ?The Great? Katsidis will be making a statement as he gears up for war against Angel ?El Tren? Hugo Ramirez for the vacant World Boxing Organization Asia-Pacific lightweight crown this Saturday night at the Cebu Coliseum.
This will be a crucial fight for Katsidis, who is hoping to end a two-fight losing skid. He lost his last two bouts against former world champions Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz.
?I will be going to war this Saturday night,? Katsidis, who is partly of Greek descent, said during a press conference yesterday. ?I have to win. With this fight I have to make a statement.?
Katsidis assured everyone that he will be a much-improved combatant on fight night because he has been in a long and rigid training in Thailand.
?When I fight I get better every time because I train so hard,? said the former WBO interim lightweight champion who has been training in Thailand for three months. ?My opponent will be a sorry person because I have been training so hard.? Brendon Smith, the manager of Katsidis, is confident that his fighter will be in his best performance when he battles Ramirez.
?He will be at top class performance on Saturday night,? said Smith.
On the other hand, Ramirez thinks he will be coming out victorious and isn?t intimidated by the Australian boxing star. ?All the fights are the same and I always come out winning,? Ramirez in Spanish.
While Katsidis thinks it?s ?foolish to make a prediction? for this bout, Ramirez?s trainer Jose Antonio Moreno feels they can win by knockout.
?We can knock him out in the first round if given the opportunity,? Moreno said confidently.
Katsidis, who was the captain of the successful Philippine team in the World Cup of Boxing tournament and is an avid fan of Filipino boxers, said he wants to return to the Philippines in the future.
?I would like to train here in the Philippines,? Katsidis told Sun.Star Cebu. ?I would definitely love to fight again here in the Philippines.?
Before the 7 p.m. main event, three Filipino boxers will be defending their regional titles against Indonesian foes.
WBO Oriental super bantamweight titleholder Ciso Morales will face Pichitchoke Singmanasak; WBO Oriental junior lightweight titlist Anthony Marcial will clash with undefeated Vacharakrit Senayan; and WBO Asia-Pacific Youth flyweight king Marvin Sonsona will battle Liempetch Sor Veerapol.
