There are some things in life that are inevitable like death and taxes. In the case of Filipino minimumweight (105 pounds) prospect Denver ?The Excitement? Cuello, it?s a shot at a regular world championship.
A title shot in the not-so distant future is shaping up as a certainty for Cuello, then again stranger things have happened in his pursuit of a world title. Cuello has been ranked No.1 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) in its minimumweight class for some time now, but for some reason he cannot land the big fight. Early this year, just when it appeared that he was closing in on a title shot, WBC minimum weight champion Kazuto Ioka of Japan shocked everyone by vacating the throne and moving up in weight.
It was clearly an act of self-preservation for Ioka. Cuello, 32-4, with 21 knockouts, has been on rampage lately. The 25-year-old pride of Cabatuan, Iloilo, is undefeated in his last 11 fights, with 10 victories coming by way of knockout. The last time Cuello lost a fight was May 2010, when he was disqualified in the third round against Mexican Juan Hernandez. In a wild brawl, Hernandez knocked down Cuello in the first round. Cuello roared back and floored Hernandez in the third stanza. Unfortunately for Cuello, he was disqualified for allegedly landing a flagrant blow.
On September 29, Cuello notched his 11th straight win since the controversial loss to Hernandez by pounding out a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Ivan Meneses of Mexico. Cuello floored Meneses in the opening round but had to rely on his boxing skills the rest of the way after injuring his shoulder in the third round and sustaining a cut on his eye.
Shortly after the fight, no less than WBC president Jose Sulaiman assured Cuello that a title shot is forthcoming. Cuello is likely to meet the winner of the November 7 showdown between Mexican Javier Martinez Resendiz and Chinese Xiong Zhao Zhong for the vacant WBC minimumweight throne. The fight was originally set for October 27 but was moved to November after Zhong injured his hand.
?Waiting na lang tayo kung sino ang mananalo sa China vs. Mexico. Wala na silang kawala sa atin [We are just waiting for the winner between China vs. Mexico. They can?t run away from us anymore],? said Aljoe Jaro, Cuello?s manager and promoter, told this writer. ?Dapat nga tayo na ang lalaban para sa vacant title kaya lang nakiusap ang WBC sa akin na mag step aside muna kami [We should be the one fighting for the vacant title but the WBC asked us to step aside].?
Zhong, 19-4 with 11 knockouts, is bidding to become the first Chinese world boxing champion and no less than 600 million Chinese fans are expected to tune in for the fight with Hernandez that will be held in Kunming, China. If the 29-year-old Zhong prevails, he will be mandated to defend against Cuello. It will be China versus Philippines in a boxing match that might as well be staged in the disputed Scarborough shoal.
Jaro has Cuello?s future all figured out. Regardless of who wins between Zhong and Resendiz, Jaro is confident that Cuello will bring home the WBC minimumweight crown. Thereafter, Cuello will move up to the light flyweight class (108 pounds) and challenge reigning World Boxing Association champion Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez of Nicaragua. Gonzalez, who totes an imposing ledger of 32-0 with 27 knockouts, is a fearsome slugger who boasts of a paralyzing left hook.
?Yun [Cuello vs. Gonzalez] talaga ang plano namin. Pero gusto ko muna maging champion si Denver sa WBC?s 105-division tapos aakyat kami sa 108 pounds. At si Roman ang target namin dahil malaking laban ito [That is really our plan, but I want Denver to be a champion first in the WBC?s 105-pound division then we will move up to 108 pounds. Roman is our target because that will be a very big fight],? said Jaro.
A date with destiny looms for Cuello. Having waited long enough, Cuello has no plans to re-schedule it.
