By Rey Danseco
Filipino prospect Rexon Flores takes his chance to become the second Filipino world champion in the World Boxing Organization’s history.
Flores, ranked number one, is set to fight unbeaten Argentine Omar Narvaez in a mandatory confrontation with the highly-regarded WBO flyweight title on the line on August 4 at the Super Domo Orfeo in Cordoba, Argentina.
If victorious, the 22-year old fighter from Paranaque City by way of Cadiz City will duplicate the feat of his former stablemate Eric Jamili’s feat as the first WBO champ from the Philippines.
Jamili held the WBO minimumweight crown from Dec. 19, 1997 to May 30, 1998. Jamili stopped local bet Mickey Cantwell in round 8 to capture the belt and lost it in 5th round TKO to Colombian Kermin Guardia in Miami, Florida.
The Philippines produced 10 world flyweight champion since the time Francisco Guilledo, better known as Pancho Villa, in the early 1920s until Manny Pacquiao ruled the version of the title from the WBC, from December 4, 1998 until September 17, 1999.
Flores is the best flyweight in Asia Pacific region. With former two-time world fly champ Erbito Salavarria as his trainer and manage by Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr, Flores has ruled the division in the past two years, defended the belt twice against formidable challengers, Alwi Alhabsy of Indonesia and Terdkiat Jandaeng of Thailand, to become Narvaez’s top ranked contender early this year.
Flores sports a respectable 16 wins, one loss and a draw with eight knockouts in his boxing career since making his debut with 3rd round technical draw with Orly Alto on April 21, 2001.
The only red mark in Flores’ fight record happened in his 5th ring appearance in October 2002 when he fought in a unfamiliar high-altitude of Baguio City where Larry Mede prevailed by unanimous decision over eight rounds.
Flores avenged the loss by punishing Mede in their 10-round rematch 11 months later in Paranaque City and went undefeated in his next 10 fights, including a technical draw with veteran Acasio Simbajon in August 2005.
Narvaez, 31-year old southpaw, will put the title on the line for 8th time since taking it from Nicaraguan Adonis Rivas in 2002.
After representing Argentina ni 1996 and 2000 Olympiccs Narvaez, who lives in Cordoba, now has a 21-0-2 record with 15 knockouts. He scored a 6th round knockout win over Paraguayan Dario Azuaga in his last fight at the Super Domo Orfeo.
Azuaga once fought in Antipolo City, losing to Gerry Penalosa in one-sided unanimous decision over 10 rounds in December 2005.
