By Mark Vester
Former junior welterweight champion Juan Urango (20-1-1, 16 KOs) is training hard in Bairoa in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Miguel Cotto is training at the same gym to prepare for his February 21 bout with Michael Jennings with the vacant WBO welterweight title at stake. Urango is gearing up for his own title conquest, a fight with Herman Ngoudjo (17-2, 9 KOs) on January 31 in Quebec, Canada. The vacant IBF junior welterweight title will be at stake.
Urango once held the title and lost it to Ricky Hatton back in January 2007. The last fighter to hold the belt, Paulie Malignaggi, vacated the title to fight Hatton in November. The IBF ordered Urango and Ngoudjo to fight for the vacant title. Urango plans to reclaim his lost gold.
"My goal is to once again win a championship. I have worked hard to obtain a better future for myself and to give pride to my country. I have trained for three weeks in Caguas since this is a gym of champions and to become a champion again - one must sacrifice," Urango said.
"I expect to take advantage of this new opportunity. With the work that I have done, I can win the title again. I lost it against Hatton, but I've learned a lot from that and the future is in front of me."
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