WINNING a world title in your hometown is one thing but going into enemy territory and dethroning the champion in his own backyard is a whole new ball game.
Mexican challenger Francisco Rodriguez intends to defy those odds this Saturday night at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino. He intends to come to Cebu, beat World Boxing Organization (WBO) and The Ring Magazine light flyweight king Donnie Nietes in front of his hometown crowd, and go home to Mexico a world champion.
?To be a champion, you got to come to the house of the champion,? said the 21-year-old Rodriguez, the former WBO and International Boxing Federation (IBF) mini-flyweight champion.
The last time Rodriguez was in Cebu in November, he had a rude awakening after fighting for his life against last-minute replacement Jomar Fajardo. He couldn’t figure Fajardo out and absorbed more punishment than he had expected, but luckily escaped with a draw.
He wants to prove his doubters wrong this time around.
?The first time I was here, I wasn’t a hundred percent prepared. My concentration was off but in the second fight in Mexico, I was more focused. Now that I’m back, I’m 100 percent prepared,? said Rodriguez, who holds a 17-2-1 with 11 knockouts record. ?I came here last November to fight Nietes but it wasn’t given to me. I waited for one year and now this is it.?
On that same night in November, the 33-year-old Nietes, 35-1-4 with 21 knockouts, made history by stopping Carlos Velarde in seven rounds and in the process beat legendary Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde’s record as the longest-reigning Filipino world champion.
Rodriguez made up for his subpar performance against Fajardo and beat him by unanimous decision in their rematch in Mexico last January.
Though clearly the underdog against the best 108-pounder in the world, Rodriguez is confident that he’ll score an upset.
?That we’ll see this Saturday (if Nietes can knock me out). I come well-prepared and I vow to knock him out,? said Rodriguez, who won both of his world title fights in Mexico against Merlito Sabillo and Katsunari Takayama. ?The question is if Nietes is ready for me.?
Mexican Rafael Reyes (16-4, 12 KOs) didn’t come here halfway across the world just to be fed to one of the best featherweight prospects in the Philippines, Mark Magsayo (10-0, 8 KOs). He actually believes that he has a shot at beating Magsayo and winning the vacant IBF featherweight crown.
?I see him as a very crafty fighter but I will adapt as the fight progresses,? said the 24-year-old Reyes. ?I came here to win.?
Reyes has already set his eyes on his next fight and that is Magsayo’s stablemate, Albert Pagara.
Indonesian Ardi Tefa (6-4, 4 KOs), on the other hand, tests former amateur standout Kevin Jake Cataraja in the latter’s pro debut.
