RAFAEL Mendoza, the manager of former two-time world super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios, said yesterday that his ward “is like a horse training for the Kentucky Derby.”
In a telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Standard Today shortly after his arrival, Mendoza said Larios trained for two months and they are confident he would beat Filipino ring idol and national treasure Manny Pacquiao on July 2.
Larios is arriving on Sunday contrary to the erroneous information from the MP Promotions’ Relly de Leon, who announced on Wednesday that the Mexican was arriving yesterday.
Mendoza said his confidence stemmed from the fact that Larios was a fighter who had “responsibility, who has been training and who has determination. You always go into the ring confident you are going to win.”
However, Mendoza paid tribute to Pacquiao, saying “he is a very good professional fighter with good speed and good power. But this is a big opportunity for Larios and we believe he’s going to win.”
Mendoza said he was informed that Larios was training very hard, although he expects “a tough fight.”
Respected international referee Bruce McTavish informed Standard Today that he had been informed by journalist Joe Koizumi that WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa’s upcoming title defense had to be called off because Hazegawa suffered a rib injury.
However, McTavish was not sure whether it was caused by Larios with whom the Japanese world champion sparred in Tokyo.
