Last Saturday in Cabazon, California, fought the left-handed Filipino Michael Farena, whom I had read could be the next opponent of Yuriorkis Gamboa, and he really did not impress me at all. And this has nothing to do with the extra class of the Antillean fighter, because worthy opponents could be found in droves in the featherweight division.
Michael Farena won by majority decision to the veteran Daniel Attah, another left-handed fighter who made him look so bad, that I begin to think how many minutes of fighting could give the Filipino to the current WBA featherweight monarch.
Farenas is the classical oriental boxer, strong, slow and rudimentary. He fights very static and receives lots of punches. A fixed target for the ?Cicl?n de Guant?namo? I do not even know the reason why he was contemplated as a rival.
His coach, the ex world champion Gerry Pe?alosa, took him to train to the U.S., specifically at the Freddie Roach?s WildCard Gym, in Hollywood, Florida.
Being in the same gym where the current ?Pound for Pound King? Manny Pacquiao was forged, will not make him a great fighter, but having the chance of doing sparring in a better level and get more competitive fights, will increase his athletic abilities.
Farena is not ranked among the top 15 of WBA, but he has a record of 31 wins and 3 losses, 26 of his triumphs have been by KO. An attractive record, which with good promotion, could persuade to the Filipino fans, that he has a chance with the ?Cicl?n? Yuriorkis Gamboa.
Photo: Chris Farina, Top Rank
