By Miguel Rivera
Colombian contender Miguel Marriaga celebrated his second week of training at Mexico City's Nuevo Jordan gymnasium, and from there he accepted respect for the quality of his nemesis for this August 5th in Los Angeles, Vasyl Lomachenko, but made it clear that he's ready to shock the world as well.
Accompanied by coach Samuel Gómez, assistant Alejandro Galindo and manager Oscar Maldonado, Marriaga said he was grateful for the opportunity given to him by Top Rank and Lomachenko, and he does not intend to miss it after fall short in his title fights against Nicholas Walters and Oscar Valdez.
"I'm happy with this new opportunity, not all boxers are given opportunities as they were given to me. We are preparing as we do for every fight, strong, with my team, my manager, doing a good job in the gym for the victory," Marriaga said to ESPN Deportes.
"Lomachenko is a good fighter, brave. We have to counter his strengths and we're working on that. I will always have respect for Lomachenko because he is one of the best pound for pound fighters today, I am happy because he gave me the opportunity, but I also believe that we are among the best and that is why we received it, but once I hear the ringing the bell we will do the work."
Marriaga, who is 25-2 with 21 KOs, stated that it is time to take advantage of the experience gained in quality matches against Walters and Valdez.
"I already have the lessons from those fights. The truth is, we always prepared ourselves to win, we were not given the [the decisions] but a new opportunity arrived. Winning will make a dream come true; beating him, I would become one of the best," Marriaga said.
The Colombian 'Scorpion' assured that he will feel much stronger at 130 than he did at 126 pounds, so he thinks that his possibilities of winning will be higher.