Dwindling cast of world champs seen

MANILA, Philippines - At the recent Elorde Awards Night, seven Filipinos were cited as world boxing champions last year – Manny Pacquiao, Rodel Mayol, Donnie Nietes, Gerry Peñalosa, Nonito Donaire Jr., Marvin Sonsona and Brian Viloria.

But today, only three remain on their thrones. Pacquiao is the WBO welterweight champion. Mayol reigns as the WBC lightflyweight titlist and Nietes as the WBO minimumweight king. Donaire is the interim WBA superflyweight champion but the Filipino Flash’s belt doesn’t count in the elite category.

So far this year, Sonsona, Ciso Morales and Juanito Rubillar have failed in bids to join the championship ranks. Rubillar would’ve broken into the top class but was robbed of a victory in losing a highly-disputed majority decision to Hekkie Budler for the vacant IBO lightflyweight crown in South Africa. Rubillar gets a second chance to beat Budler in a rematch this June.

More Filipinos are in the queue for world title shots this year. Balweg Bangoyan takes on WBC superbantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka in Tokyo on April 30. Hard-hitting Johnriel Casimero will get his opportunity when he battles WBO lightflyweight titleholder Ivan Calderon at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 12. Another Filipino contender Bernabe Concepcion is lined up to face WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez in Puerto Rico on July 10.

Donaire will attempt to capture a second world title before the year ends and the word is an August rematch with WBC and WBA superflyweight champion Vic Darchinyan is in the works. Minimumweight Denver Cuello and superflyweight Drian Francisco are booked for interim title bouts, meaning if they win, next in the agenda would be a crack at the real thing.

Mayol and Nietes are waiting for offers to defend their thrones. Mayol has been ordered by the WBC to put his belt on the line in a rematch with Mexico’s Omar Nino Romero in May or June while Nietes is still studying options.

“There are no plans yet for Donnie where to hold his next fight,” said Nietes’ manager Michael Aldeguer. “We always get offers for him to fight abroad but we would want him to fight in our country for a change. He already proved what he can do fighting twice in Mexico against Mexican challengers.”

As for Pacquiao, his fight schedule will depend on what happens in the May 10 elections. The speculation is if he wins a seat in Congress, Pacquiao will fight just once more before the year ends – a megabuck showdown with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in November assuming Pretty Boy disposes of Sugar Shane Mosley on May 1. If Pacquiao loses in his political bid, the probability is he may fight twice more this year – possibly against Mexico’s Antonio Margarito in September and Mayweather in December.

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“It’ll be interesting to find out who will win – Floyd Mayweather, Jr. or Sugar Shane Mosley,” said former WBC secretary-general and PBA commissioner Rudy Salud the other day. “But I expect a boring fight. Both like to hold and I saw that in their past fights, they hung on to their opponents even when the referee broke them up. Because of his age, I don’t think Mosley (who is 38) can get any better. Mayweather, on the other hand, has a big upside.”

Although Salud isn’t excitedly looking forward to the match, he said he will be glued to his TV set when they face off on May 2 (Sunday morning, Manila time). That’s because the winner will likely advance to meet Manny Pacquiao in what could be the biggest fight of the decade.