JERRY Castroverde has learned his lesson, after losing a controversial unanimous decision in his first international fight four months ago in South Africa.
That?s why on his second stint overseas, the 19-year-old Cebuano pug won?t stop until he gets the knockout to cut the possibility of a hometown decision.
?What I learned from that loss was not to stop punching until he gets knocked out because I?m very well prepared for this fight,? Castroverde told Sun.Star Cebu.
Castroverde is up against Russian up-and-comer Shavkat Rakhimov for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Youth Inter-Continental super featherweight strap tomorrow night at the DIVS in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
Since losing to Aphiwe Mboyiya by unanimous decision in July, Castroverde feels the importance of this fight and how it will catapult him up in the world rankings.
?This is a very important fight for me because this is a championship fight and I want to win the belt,? said Castroverde.
Castroverde is well conditioned for this fight and has sparred with his stablemates at the Omega Boxing Gym, Jason Redondo and undefeated Jhack Tepora.
?I think I can beat him. I will do my best to knock him out so that the fight won?t go the distance,? he said.
The 22-year-old Rakhimov has been very busy, already racking up four wins this year. He is fresh from a technical knockout win over Farhod Oripov.
Castroverde is 9-3 with seven knockouts, while Rakhimov is 6-0 with four knockouts.
Three other Filipinos are also seeing action on the same card.
Experienced Dennis Laurente (50-7-5, 30 KOs) comes off from almost a year out of the ring to take on unbeaten Russian prospect Magomed Kurbanov (8-0, 7 KOs) for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Asian Boxing Council (ABC) Silver super welterweight crown.
Carlo Magali (20-8-3, 10 KOs) faces off with undefeated Russian Pavel Malikov (8-0, 2 KOs) for the WBC ABC Silver lightweight strap, while 21-year-old Filpino prospect Marvin Esquierdo (7-1-1, 6 KOs) slugs it out with Mark Urvanov (7-1, 4 KOs) for the WBO Youth Asia-Pacific featherweight belt.
