By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The conditioning expert who has turned Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao into an explosive fighter in the ring says light flyweight challenger Rodel Mayol (25-3-1, 19 KO’s) is “looking good” as he prepares for his rematch against undefeated champion Ivan Calderon (32-0-1, 6 KO’s) on September 12.
The fight will be held at the officially named Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot which is the biggest indoor arena in Puerto Rico that can sevat 18,500 people and is located in the financial district of the capital of San Juan.
Alex Ariza told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Mayol sparred with Guillermo Rigondeauz, the former two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist who defected from Cuba in 2007 and turned pro and Mayol “looked good. You must remember Rigondeauz is a horse man. He’s a big kid, very strong and powerful with about 400 amateur fights.”
Ariza said Mayol “did well. Its good to watch two guys like that spar.”
Mayol who has been training hard at the Wild Card gym of Freddie Roach said he was taking no chances and will strive not to leave the decision in the hands of the judges considering the fight is in the hometown of Calderon. Mayol said if he sees a chance f or a knockout, he’ll go for it.
In a conversation with well-known ring physician Dr. Allan Recto the other day following a press conference Mayol effectively reiterated what he told us earlier, saying “I will try to win every round convincingly so the judges won’t have a hard time choosing the winner which is me.”
Mayol has been preparing to go twelve rounds if he needs to and told Dr. Recto “I won’t predict a win by knockout but if there’s an opportunity, I will go for the knockout. I hope it happens.”
When the two clashed in Madison Square Garden last June 13, Calderon was cut in an accidental clash of heads early in the fight and in the sixth round the ring physician ruled Calderon was not fit to continue and referee Benjy Esteves Jr called a halt at 1:50 of the sixth round.
The judges were split three ways although Mayol told us he as well as his handlers thought he won the fight. Judge Tony Paolillo had Calderon the winner 58-56 while Tom Schreck saw Mayol the winner by the same 58-56 margin or a four-point swing in six rounds wh ile the third judge Steve Weisfeld had it dead even at 57-57.
Dr. Recto told us that Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz who accompanied Mayol to the San Juan, Puerto Rico press conference believes the rematch will be “a different and more exciting fight than the last time since both fighters now know each other.”
