By Rey Danseco

 

THE four world rated Filipino boxers who are hail from Mandaue City in Cebu, will be feted on Friday afternoon by their kababayans in recognition of their recent impressive win abroad.

The Mandaue City Sports Development Commission  (MCSDC) has organized the big hero's welcome for unbeaten minimumweight Rodel “Kid Rapido” Mayol, bantamweight Malcolm “Eagle Eye” Tuñacao, super featherweight Randy “Kamaong Maso” Suico and super flyweight Z Gorres.

Aside from Gorres, the three other hard-hitting fighters are reining Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) champions.

The 23-year old Gorres is rated No. 1 by the OPBF and slated to fight Waenpetch Chuwatana of Thailand for the vacant OPBF 115-lb throne on March 18 at the Sports and Cultural Complex in Mandaue City.

Around 3 p.m, the four young pro-boxers will parade in a motorcade before the awarding rites take place near 5 p.m during the flag retreat ceremony at the City Hall grounds.

Considered three of the country’s brightest prospect to win world titles, the Mandaue City Council has passed a resolution in which they will give cash prizes to the four boxers.

Mayol (22-0, 17 KOs) has earned a No. 1 ranking and the right to challenge in a mandatory fight, the reigning WBC minimumweight king Eagle Kyowa of Thailand after scoring a very impressive fourth round knockout of Mexican Lorenzo Trejo in a eliminator bout on Jan. 28 in Cancun City, Mexico. The Mayol-Kyowa WBC world title bout has been reportedly slated on May 8.

Gorres, a former RP flyweight interim boss and currently rated as a No. 23 bantam by the WBC, made his second ring appearance in the United States so memorable when he dominated the more experienced Mexican Jose Alfredo Tirado in the main event of a card on Feb. 4 at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The WBC No. 5 ranked Tuñacao, a former WBC flyweight champion, and No. 13 Suico successfully retained their OPBF belts in the turfs of their Japanese challengers on Feb. 15 in Nagoya, Japan.

Tuñacao (19-1-3, 13 KOs) figured in a split draw with Kohei Ohba over 12 rounds to retain the title for the first time since taking the belt with a unanimous decision win over erstwhile champ Kumarnthong Por Pluemkamol of Thailand. Experts recognized the decision as controversial after the Filipino judge Teddy Alivio scored the bout 115-even while the Japanese official Yasuo Tomoto favored his countryman, 113-115. The Aussie judge Ignatius Missailidis favored Tunacao in his scorecard, 115-114.

Suico (24-2, 21 KOs), stopped pre-fight favorite and top ranked challenger Ryuhei Sugita at 1:39 of the fourth round for his fifth title defense since taking the vacant crown in April 27, 2002 with 6th round technical knockout win over South Korean Sung-Ho Yuh in Cebu City.