By Rey Colon
Bayamon's Francisco "The Wizard" Palacios, who on April 2 will go to Poland to fight WBC cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, has reiterated that he will return to Puerto Rico as the third Puerto Rican boxer to become a champion in that division, emulating Carlos 'Sugar' Leon and Ossie Ocasio.
"I'm going to Poland and I will win. I'll bring the green crown to Puerto Rico. It is the opportunity of a lifetime and it will be the best gift for my son who will be born when I am there. I will not be for the birth of my first child on March 31 and that will be my gift. This I will do for my son and the promise that I made to my brother before his burial," he said.
Palacios, 33-years-old, has a 20-0 record with 13 knockouts, while Wlofarczyk is 44-2-1 with 32 kncokouts since winning the title in May 2010.
"I'm very confident in my training and myself. I'll leave the last drop of blood in the ring. I know I'll be in his backyard but if I go to the judges, they will have to give me the decision because I'm going to give him a beating and if I have the opportunity to knock him out, I will. He will have to kill me to take away this dream," he added.
Palacios, who is trained by Joshua Aguilar, and serving as 'cutman' is Gil Maldonado, will travel to Poland 14 days before the fight.
Rey Colon covers the boxing scene in Puerto Rico for Sport Press.
