EVEN IN HIS earlier fights in Mindanao, Edren Dapudong appeared frail and malnourished, visibly unfit for man-size combat inside the ring.
He?s known as the son of a poor farmer from M?lang, North Cotabato, on the grassy edge of the mythical and mysterious Liguasan Marsh.
But it was his frail build?he?s bamboo-thin and looked more like a Japanese war straggler than an athlete?that made the 23-year-old Dapudong an awful underdog in the biggest fight of his career in Mexico on Sunday.
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Here at home, people were doubly surprised that an obscure fighter from Mindanao had made it big over four other Filipino fighters who tried their luck but failed in Mexico over the weekend.
Maybe, only his handlers and his relatives knew about Dapudong?s departure.
No, it was not kept a secret.
However, he was able to secure a United States visa only three days before his fight in Tepic, Mexico.
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Dapudong also had only two weeks to formally train for the big outing.
With the usual visa hassles, he barely made it to the official weigh-in.
Maybe, Mexican promoters had intended Dapudong as a sacrificial lamb to feed the fancy of hometown fans, whose big ring idols had all been beaten by Manny Pacquiao.
?Mexican fans came in full force expecting a win by Jesus Jimenez, emerging as Mexico?s next big boxing star,? reported former Gov. Manny Pinol of North Cotabato from the fight scene.
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As is the style in Mexico, hometown fans came in their Sunday fineries, cocktails and beer flowing at ringside.
They never had the chance to open their first beer.
?At 1:20 minutes of the first round, Dapudong connected with a right straight to Jimenez?s breadbasket and followed this with a crackling left hook that sent the Mexican crumbling to the canvas,? Pi?ol reported.
Jimenez beat the count.
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Continued Pi?ol: ?After American referee Gerald Ritter signalled the continuation of the fight, Dapudong came rushing in, pummelling the 26-year-old Latino champion with thunderous body punches before connecting with another powerful left hook that dropped Jimenez, face first to the canvas, for the full count at 1:55 of the first round.?
The fight was for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Flyweight Silver.
The Silver championship is equal to an interim title, meaning Dapudong could next be lined up for a crack at the WBC flyweight championship proper, Pi?ol said.
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Pi?ol said Dapudong, a former World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental junior flyweight champion who was fighting as a flyweight for the first time, initiated the action right at the sound of the bell.
He connected with crisp jabs to the face of the left-handed Jimenez, before landing heavy blows to the midsection.
Jimenez is called the Destroyer in his mountainous hometown.
It was too late when they learned that Dapudong is called The Sting back home.
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Pi?ol said the Mexican fans, who had expected an easy fight for Jimenez, was also chanting Ole ?El Torito? in goading Mexico?s next prospect for a world title.
Jimenez is rated No. 1 by both the WBC and the WBO.
Dapudong, who now has a record of 23 wins (11 KOs) against 2 losses, was still with Pi?ol in California Monday.
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After the victory, Noli Pi?ol, chief trainer at the Braveheart Boxing Club, bared that Dapudong had actually been undergoing light training before he received the last-minute notice that he would challenge for the WBC Silver Flyweight title.
?He was able to adjust easily, especially so since he did not have to lose weight as he would be fighting as a flyweight,? Noli said.
Last-minute pointers on conditioning shared by Justin Fortune, Manny Pacquiao?s former conditioning coach, also helped as Dapudong was able to readily acclimatize.
With his frail build and humble ways?he?s no Raging Bull?Dapudong can be expected to return as quietly as he left.
