Si Mayol muna bago si Viloria

MANILA, Philippines – Bago isipin ni Puerto Rican world light flyweight champion Ivan “Iron Boy” Calderon na makasagupa si Filipino titlist Brian “The Hawaiian Punch” Viloria sa isang unification match ay kailangan muna nitong manalo kay Rodel Mayol.

Sinabi ni Viloria na hindi dapat balewalain ni Calderon, magdedepensa ng kanyang World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight belt, ang kakayahan ni Mayol.

“He should focus on this fight and after this fight we’ll talk,” sabi ng 28-anyos na si Viloria sa pagsagupa ng 34-anyos na si Calderon sa 27-anyos na si Mayol. “Should he win and retain his title, then we’ll talk after that.”

Nakatakda ang title defense ni Calderon kay Mayol sa Hunyo 14 (Manila time) sa Madison Square Garden sa New York City.

“I have sparred about 110 rounds in preparation for this fight. Maybe this time, I can win the title,” ani Mayol, nagbabandera ng 25-3-0 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 19 KOs kontra sa 32-0-0 (6 KOs) ni Calderon.

Sakaling manalo kay Mayol, nagsasanay sa ilalim ni Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez sa Wildcard Boxing Gym ni Freddie Roach sa Hollywood, California, balak ni Calderon na hamunin si Viloria para sa isang unification fight.

“As of now, I shouldn’t be looking past for my next fight also whoever it might be. That is a potential unification fight and I welcome that,” ani Viloria, ang bagong International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight titlist matapos talunin ang dating may suot nitong si Mexican Ulises Solis via 11th-round TKO noong Abril sa Araneta Coliseum.

Ito ang ikatlong pagkakataon na magtatangka si Mayol na makaagaw ng isang world boxing title matapos matalo kina World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight king Eagle Den Junlaphan noong 2006 at kay International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight ruler Ulises Solis noong 2007. (Russell Cadayona)