AUSTRALIAN boxer Michael Katsidis predicts an early knockout and a big crowd on his side when he fights Angel Ramirez in the Philippines tomorrow night.
After losses to former world champions Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz in his last two fights, Queenslander Katsidis (23-2, 20 KOs) has dropped to No.6 in the WBO rankings.
A victory over Argentinian Ramirez (19-4-2, 8 KOs) in Cebu City would earn him the vacant WBO Asia-Pacific lightweight title and lift his ranking.
It could also propel him into a rumoured April matchup in California against Mexico’s former IBF lightweight world champion Julio Diaz.
“There’s talk of a lot of big fights at the moment and I’ll look at all that after I get this win,” said Katsidis from Cebu City.
“Not only am I going to win this fight, I’m going to win it really well.
“He (Ramirez) is action packed and he keeps on coming.
“I’m still improving with every fight and come this next fight I will be at my very best and Ramirez will be running right onto that.
“I’ll soon stop him in his tracks.”
The 28-year-old Queenslander was surprised by the warmth of his welcome when he arrived in the Philippines earlier this week after preparing in Thailand.
“I haven’t seen a welcoming like it, when I got off the plane, people here had banners and they wanted photographs,” Katsidis said.
He is regarded as an honorary Filipino having captained the victorious Philippines team in their World Cup win over Mexico in 2007, in the absence of the country’s most famous fighter, multi-world title winner Manny Pacquiao.
Katsidis didn’t fight in the event, but his status as captain together with some memorable performances against Filipino fighters has earned the respect of that nation’s fight fans.
“I was with the team that night and they had five wins, so I’m like a good luck charm to them now,” said Katsidis, who expects the majority of a potential 10,000 sellout crowd to be on his side.
