CZAR LOOKS TO KEEP PINOY VIBE GOIN’
San Mateo, Ca Czar Amonsot will challenge WBO lightweight (135 lbs.) champion, Michael Katsidis on the undercard of Bernard Hopkins’ latest challenge against youth via Winky Wright. Amonsot, 18-2 (10 KOs), attempts to follow in the footsteps of countrymen Florante Condes and Nonito Donaire, who both won titles belts earlier this month. Katsidis, 22-0 (20 KOs) is making his first defense. Katsidis won that belt in a thrilling bout last February against Graham Earl, which put Katsidis on the boxing map. Katsidis will look to seek national revenge for his fellow Aussie ex-champ, Vic Darchinyan, who suffered a devastating knockout loss to the Filipino “Flash”, Donaire.
HAS ALL THE INGREDIENTS OF AN UPSET
It seems as if the only way a Filipino can win a world title is when he is up against insurmountable odds. Super flyweight (115) Z Gorres challenged Fernando Montiel in Gorres’ hometown and most expected Gorres to win. In front of a rabid crowd, Gorres started off hot, but lost steam late and lost a close decision. In 2006, Filipino fans deemed Rodel Mayol, undefeated at the time, as the heir apparent to a world title. Mayol blitzed through tough minimumweight champion, Eagle Kyowa, in the first half of the fight, but like Gorres, he faded late, losing a decision. Both Gorres and Mayol had a large bandwagon going into their title bids and both suffered disappointing losses.
YOU CAN’T WIN A FIGHT ON PAPER
All the intangibles Mayol and Gorres had going into title bids were absent when Florante Condes and Nonito Donaire challenged for title belts. The same can be said when Manny Pacquiao dominated the feared jr. featherweight (122) titlist, Lehlo Ledwaba. Pacquiao was a last minute substitute and was such an unknown that Las Vegas did not even place odds on the bout. Pacquiao, Donaire, and Condes were all unknown, untested (on the big stages), and underdogs against well established world champions. Condes took the title away from Muhammad Rachman in the champ’s backyard. Rachman had not previously lost a fight since March 4th, 1998. More impressively, Nonito Donaire shattered the mystique and the “legend” that was the indestructible Vic Darchinyan. With one counter left hook, Darchinyan was sent back to reality and Donaire scored the impressive upset.
VICTORY WOULD BE HUGE UPSET
Tonight, Czar, 133, carries all the intangibles that Condes and Donaire had into the ring against an undefeated and confident Michael Katsidis, 135. Amonsot is an unknown entity even to many Philippine boxing fans. A victory for the “Blonde Bomber” would be shocking to all as Katsidis is one of the biggest power punching lightweights in the division. However, Amonsot is no blown up featherweight and has good power from the southpaw stance. Katsidis is a fighter who was born to entertain and he has an opponent, in Amonsot, who will be in shape and willing to go toe-to-toe. Whatever the result, fans should expect a highly entertaining bout for however long it should last. Amonsot could gain a good following even in a loss in a great fight.
CROSS ROADS FIGHT AT FEATHER
While the big money fights and the boxing stars in the lower weight divisions are at super featherweight (130), one of the top young prospects looks to make a mark at the featherweight (126) division. 22-year old Jorge Linares will take on his toughest test in former world champion, Oscar Larios. Linares, 126, who has been training in Los Angeles for this bout, is based out in Tokyo and trains with fellow Venezuelan Edwin Valero, the WBA champ at 130. Undefeated, Linares, 23-0 (14 KOs), is a big featherweight who has impressed many people in boxing gyms as well as in the ring. Larios, 59-5-1 (37 KOs), has won three straight fight after a gutsy performance, lasting all twelve rounds against Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines last year. However, those three comeback victories were against pedestrian competition at best. Larios, 126, will show how much gas he has left in the tank when he faces a young upstart looking to impress the HBO PPV audience.
OH YEAH, THE MAIN EVENT
Lastly, Bernard Hopkins makes his return to the ring against Winky Wright. The former jr. middleweight (154) champ, Wright, will be Hopkins’, 170, toughest opponent of his career. It is hard to believe that the 42-year-old Executioner could outwork and break through the high guard of Wright. Winky, 51-3-1 (25 KOs), has not lost a bout since losing a controversial decision to Fernando Vargas back in 1999. However, most people gave Hopkins little chance of surviving against Antonio Tarver last year and Hopkins did everything to Tarver in twelve rounds besides knocking him out. He not only beat Tarver, but he took Tarver out of his game mentally. It will take that kind of effort for Hopkins to somehow force Winky Wright, 170 lbs, to change his style. If that happens, Hopkins, 47-4-1 (32 KOs), could get one of the biggest wins of his already hall-of-fame career.
