Pinoy champ agrees to rematch vs Indon

Newly-crowned IBF minimumweight champion Florante Condes said yesterday he’ll agree to a rematch with Indonesian Muhammad Rachman if the price is right, regardless of where the fight is held.

Condes dethroned Rachman on a split 12-round decision in Jakarta last Saturday. It took knockdowns in the third and 10th rounds to gain the nod of two of the three judges as Condes finished strong in ending Rachman’s three-year reign.

Rachman, 35, proved tougher than expected and forced Condes to the limit but in the end, was clearly the loser. He finished the fight with cuts over and under his right eye while Condes was virtually unmarked.

“There was no option clause in our contract because Condes was the mandatory challenger but we’ll do a rematch depending on the offer,”said the champion’s manager Aljoe Jaro, a former world-ranked superflyweight, in Filipino. “We don’t care if we fight in Jakarta or anywhere else. Condes will beat Rachman again and again.”

Two judges, Filipino sportswriter Salven Lagumbay and Montol Suriyachand of Thailand, scored it 114-112 for Condes while Indonesian judge Muhammad Rois saw it 117-113 for Rachman. Lagumbay and Montol gave both fighters six rounds each but Condes had the edge because his knockdowns resulted in two 10-8 scores. Rois awarded Rachman seven rounds and Condes three with two even in a blatantly biased tally.

“Rachman was well-prepared and fought smart, said Jaro. “He went down twice but got up. He had Condes in trouble in the seventh, eighth and ninth rounds. But Condes found his second wind and came back to rally in the last three rounds. Rachman surprised me. I didn’t think he was that good. I thought he was too old to continue fighting at a high level. Condes was just stronger. It was a helluva fight.”

Condes tipped the scales at 103.8 pounds and Rachman, 104.3 during the weigh-in the day before the bout supervised by IBF championship committee chairman Lindsay Tucker.

Condes used a left uppercut to deck Rachman in the third and a right cross in the 10th. “An ordinary fighter wouldn’t have survived both trips to the canvas,”said Jaro. “Rachman was flat on his back both times and I didn’t think he would beat the count. Give him credit. He didn’t want to lose the crown on his back.”

Condes was paid only $3,700 for the fight because his US representative Dante Ortiz failed to show up at the purse bidding conducted by Tucker at the IBF office in New Jersey. Rachman’s group, Warriors Promotions, bid $25,000 and won by default.

“I told Condes not to worry about the purse,”said Jaro. “What’s important is he’s now the world champion. Ortiz promised to add $8,300 to his paycheck. He was supposed to fly to Jakarta but never showed up. Ortiz signed Condes to a two-year contract last September but hasn’t kept his part of the deal so I brought along my lawyer (Joey Mendoza) to face him in case he came. Ortiz wants Condes for himself but the kid is loyal to me. He’s like my son.”

Jaro, his brother Franz, Mendoza and Condes arrived in Manila on a Philippine Airlines flight last night.

The youngest of six children, Condes sparred 160 rounds in training for his first overseas fight since turning pro in 2002. He improved his record to 20-4-1, with 18 KOs. Rachman’s record dropped to 61-6-5, with 31 KOs. The Indonesian had never lost to a Filipino before, victimizing the likes of Benjie Sorolla, Ernesto Rubillar, Noel Tunacao and Bert Batawang.

Condes is the family breadwinner. His father is dead and his mother Juanita is sickly. Now that he’s the world champion, Condes said he hopes to give his mother and siblings a better life.

GMA commends Condes, Donaire

President Arroyo lauded the two Filipino boxers who won their respective bouts over the weekend for heralding “the fighting spirit of the Filipino athlete.”

In a statement, the President commended Filipino boxers Florante Condes and Nonito Donaire who triumphed over their respective opponents in Indonesia and the United States, respectively.

Condes scored a 12-round split decision over Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia to secure the IBF minimumweight crown.

Donaire, on the other hand, knocked out Armenia-born Australian Vic Darchinyan to take the IBF flyweight crown.

“We salute their achievement and rejoice in their victory. These men, described in the press as underdogs, prove they belong to the league of champions,” the President said.

“Like them, we shall never give up or give in until we emerge victorious in the battle against poverty and terror,” the President added.  – Marvin Sy