By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBC secretary general Mauricio Sulaiman has assured light flyweight champion Rodel Mayol (26-4-1, 20 KO’s) of a fair decision in the Filipino’s first title defense against mandatory challenger and former champion Omar Nino Romero (28-3-1, 11 KO’s) at the Coliseo Olimpico of the University of Guadalajara, Mexico on Sunday Manila Time.
In a telephone conversation with BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports, Sulaiman told us the officiating will be fair even as he said there was no need f or Mayol or his handlers to be worried about the judging since the referee was American Vic Drakulich and all three judges also from the United States.
Sulaiman reiterated what he said at the pre-fight press conference that “all the ring officials are neutral and the one that wins inside the ring is going to be the winner.”
Meantime, pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz told us he had received Pacquiao’s okay to fly to Mexico on Friday to be at ringside for Mayol’s title defense.
Mayol won the title with a stunning 2nd round TKO over highly favored Mexican Edgar Sosa after Sosa suffered a fracture on his cheekbone following a head-butt and was groggy when Mayol dropped him and then unleashed a flurry of punches that forced referee Roberto Ramirez Jr to call a halt at 1:52 of the second round.
