by Ronnie Nathanielsz
In a battle of two undefeated southpaw knockout artists, Filipino Jundy “Pretty Boy” Maraon will face reigning North American Boxing Association and WBA Fedelatin bantamweight champion Juan Carlos Payano of the Dominican Republic at the Richard J. Codey Arena in New Jersey on June 14.
Maraon who is managed by former North Cotabato governor Manny Pinol and Vincent Scolpino has a record of 15-0-1 with 12 knockouts while Payano’s record is 13-0 with 7 knockouts.
Pinol told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard that Maraon was a “strong puncher and has a good chance of winning” although he conceded that Payano is also a tough opponent.
Payano is ranked No. 5 in the world by the WBA, No. 10 by the WBC and No. 14 by the IBF but apparently and rather inexplicably Maraon is not rated in the top ten of the leading world organizations.
A two-time Olympian who won the gold medal at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, Payano lost to eventual silver medalist Jerome Thomas of France in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where Thomas was beaten in the finals to Cuba’s current WBA/IBF featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa.
The 28 year old Maraon won his last fight by a 3rd round TKO over Ernie Marquez at the Chumash Casino in California on September 21 last year. He dropped Marquez with vicious body shots in rounds 2 and 3 before referee Lou Moret called a halt at 1:05 of the third round.
The 29 year old Payano won the vacant NABA title with a 9th round TKO over Jhon Alberto Molina of Colombia on July 21, 2012 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida and battered Molina to win by a 2nd round TKO in a rematch last May 10.
