Three more fights for Ana this year

MANILA, Philippines - WBO women’s superbantamweight champion Ana (Hurricane) Julaton will be busy in the ring the rest of the year. Her manager Angelo Reyes said yesterday promoter Allan Tremblay of Orion Sports Management plans three more fights before the year ends and the next bout could be in Manila this April.

Julaton, 30, pounded out a unanimous 10-round decision over Kansas City challenger Franchesca (The Chosen One) Alcanter to retain her 122-pound title at the Craneway Pavilion, Point Richmond, California, last Friday. It was the first defense of the crown she won on a split verdict over Mexico’s Maria Elena Villalobos in Ontario last June.

Trainer Freddie Roach was not in Julaton’s corner for the Alcanter fight but his influence was evident in the way she dominated the action.

 “Freddie is the best trainer in the world,” Reyes told The STAR from California. “With several world champions in his stable, he was busy preparing for a title fight. I honestly felt that Freddie from the beginning of the camp to the final day before the weigh-in, believed Ana was too fast for Franchesca. He coached Ana in all the sparring and mitts sessions, realizing that her speed and jab would be the keys to beating Franchesca. He called up Ana the night of the weigh-in and the morning of the fight to go over the fight plan one more time and to tell her, ‘you’ll beat her, you know what to do.”

Julaton had no difficulty breaking down Alcanter and the three judges concurred on their choice of the superior fighter. The scorecards told the story, 99-92, 97-93, 96-94. Reyes said while Julaton was the clear winner, it wasn’t a cakewalk. Julaton displayed a swollen left cheek and a few bruises. Alcanter was battered and bloodied. Julaton’s left hand was bruised, too, because of the countless jabs she landed.

 “It’s hard to say if Franchesca could’ve been knocked out if she engaged more,” said Reyes. “Franchesca is bigger and stronger. She went the distance with Ina Menzer who is one of the hardest power-punching fighters in female boxing. But I think Ana beat Franchesca worse than Ina did.”

Reyes said Julaton was never worried but admitted there were anxious moments during the fight. “Franchesca hurt Ana in the fourth with a power right hand,” recalled Reyes. “The fight was never in the bag because we knew Franchesca carried power until the last round. We made a few adjustments during the fight. Ana worked her body in the first two rounds then went aggressive and tried to set up some power shots but by the sixth, Franchesca figured out Ana’s single jab pattern. She jabbed with Ana in the eighth which I think was the closest for Franchesca to win a round as she hit Ana with a couple of big right hands and three great power jabs. In between rounds, we suggested for Ana to go back to the triple jab rhythm to set up the right hand which she used to dominate the previous rounds.”

Julaton’s parents Cesar and Emilia were at ringside. So were her brother Cesar Jr., cousins, aunts and her martial arts family from West Wind School in Berkeley. “There were chants of Ju-la-ton,” said Reyes. “Definitely, it was extra motivation as Ana knew this would be her one and only Bay Area fight this year. The next one is to be in the Philippines.”

Before the fight, Julaton said it would be a thrill to put on a show for her relatives because her family wasn’t around when she won the title last June. “My mom especially gets very excited when she watches my live fights,” said Julaton. “She’s always shouting ‘get her, Lucian’ or ‘watch out’ and I can hear her screaming.” Julaton’s first name is Luciana.

Julaton’s victory dinner was hosted by Tremblay, a former Canadian airline executive.

 “We celebrated with Team Julaton, some members of media, her brother and Los Angeles Raiders Pro Bowl linebacker Sam Williams, who watched at ringside, Ana’s personal friend,” said Reyes. “The extravagant Chinese dinner was treated by Allan who started the celebration with a toast where everyone stood up and cheered, ‘To Ana and her victory.’”

Reyes said Julaton dedicated the win to all Filipinos worldwide. “She wants to continue to unite all Filipinos everywhere in the world,” said Reyes.