by Ronnie Nathanielsz
Promising southpaw Randy Petalcorin, the reigning Pan Asian Boxing Association light flyweight champion is ready for his WBA Interim title fight against the experienced Walter Tello of Panama at the new Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai, China.
Petalcorin who is co-managed by well known Australian promoter Peter Maniatis and Jim Manangquil of General Santos City has been training in his hometown after a stint in Australia.
Maniatis who leaves for Shanghai with Petalcorin on Friday told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard/Viva Sports that the training camp of the 22 year old Petalcorin has been “very good and Randy is fit and ready to fight and prepared to go twelve rounds if he has to.”
Petalcorin who has a record of 22-1 with 16 knockouts is expected to have a tough time against the far more experienced Tello who has a record of 20-7 with 8 knockouts and has fought for three world titles, losing to WBO champion Manual “Chango” Vargas in 2009, WBA champion Giovanni Segura in 2010 and most recently dropped a close twelve round decision to WBA champion Alberto Rossel of Peru in 2013.
The only rated fighter Petalcorin fough against and won was Thailand’s world-rated Samartlek Kokietgym to win the PBA title, dropping the Thai in rounds 3, 8 and 9 with vicious combinations.
Maniatis told the Manila Standard that Petalcorin is in high spirits especially after he learned that his idol and town mate in GenSan, “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao, will be at ringside in Shanghai along with WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri who will also be there to promote their November 22 showdown at the Cotai Arena in Macau.