Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightweight champion Randy Suico is in the ?wait list? of fighters lined up for the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez main event at the Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort in Las Vegas on March 15.
Pacquiao?s boxing consultant Rex (Wakee) Salud told The STAR yesterday he hasn?t given up trying to get a slot for Suico to challenge WBC lightweight champion David Diaz in the stellar supporting bout.
Salud said he spoke with Top Rank matchmaker Bruce Trampler the other day and was informed another opponent has been signed up for Diaz.
?But Bruce advised me to just get Randy ready in case of an opening,? said Salud. ?It?s 50-50 for Randy at the moment. He?s like a chance passenger. Although an opponent has already been chosen for Diaz, the fight is still not a sure thing. But I think Diaz wants an easy opponent, not Randy, because it?s a tune-up for his next fight against Manny.?
Pacquiao is set to fight thrice this year ? in March, July and November. If and when he dethrones Marquez as the WBC superfeatherweight champion, Pacquiao will likely challenge Diaz in July. Ricky Hatton has been mentioned as his opponent in November.
Salud said if Suico is picked to fight Diaz, he will join the stable of sparmates now being assembled for Pacquiao.
?Randy is right-handed like Marquez,? said Salud. ?He?s also a counterpuncher. But if he?s not fighting in the undercard, I don?t think it makes sense to bring him in as a sparring partner. It all depends on if he has a scheduled fight to prepare for.?
While Suico is not confirmed in the undercard, Salud said he is close to arranging fights for Philippine superfeatherweight champion Aaron Melgarejo, OPBF lightflyweight titleholder Juanito Rubillar and unbeaten superbantamweight prospect Ciso Morales in the Mandalay show.
Melgarejo, the grandson of former Oriental featherweight champion Oscar Reyes, outpointed Dodie Boy Agrabio to wrest the Philippine crown recently and has an 11-5-1 record, with three KOs. Rubillar, a veteran, was tapped by the WBC a few weeks ago to figure in a lightflyweight title eliminator against Omar Ni?o Romero. Morales of Talibon, Bohol, boasts a record of 9-0, with six KOs.
Salud said two other Filipino fighters, Bernabe Concepcion and Michael Farenas, will see action in the undercard of the Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.-Jose Celaya main event in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Feb. 9. Concepcion (23-1-1, 13 KOs) takes on unbeaten Mexican superbantamweight Juan Manuel Lopez (20-0, 18 KOs) while Farenas (19-2-2, 17 KOs ) has still no assigned opponent.
Suico, 28, said he?s looking forward to challenging Diaz. ?He comes right at you,? said Suico in Filipino. ?Either he knocks me out or I knock him out. I?ll make sure I get him first.?
Suico has won his last three outings to raise his record to 27-3, with 23 KOs. In July 2006, he was stopped by Juan Diaz in a bid for the WBA lightweight diadem in Las Vegas. His other losses were a majority decision to Javier Jauregui and a disputed split verdict to Mzone Fana who was floored twice.
Diaz, 31, is coming off a close win on points over Erik Morales in a bout where he survived a knockdown in the first round. His record is 33-1-1, with 17 KOs. His only defeat was an eighth round stoppage by Kendall Holt in June 2005.
Suico?s trainer Juanito Ablaca said Diaz is tailor-made for the Mandaue knockout artist.
?If Randy improves his timing and speed, he can?t lose,? said Ablaca. ?But we?re not rushing. There are offers to fight in Japan and South Africa. Randy?s time will come.?
