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OLD FOE HUSSEIN TO VIE FOR PACQUIAO'S BELT
By: Salven L. Lagumbay

The only fighter in the world who keeps repeating that world featherweight champ Manny Pacquiao is ducking him will now vie for the Filipino's vacanted title. Lebanon-born Australian Nedal "Skinny" Hussein, the IBF no. 4 superbantam contender, will vie for the IBF throne against no. 1 Jose Luis Valbuena at a soon-to-be-announced date and venue.

The IBF has ordered free negotiations until January 28, and if both camps don't agree on terms, it will hold a purse bid for the right to promote the event. The no. 2 position is vacant, while no. 3 Paulie Ayala is said to be not interested in vying for the IBF throne.

The 26-year-old Hussein, trained by the legendary Jeff Fenech, parades a 31-1, 18 KO's record while the southpaw Venezuelan Valbuena, who is promoted by Oscar De la Hoya, boasts of a 24-2-1, 14 KO's ledger.

On October 14, 2000, the Sydney-based Hussein traveled to the Philippines and faced Pacquiao for the WBC International superbantam crown. Hussein knocked down Pacquiao with a straight in the fourth, but found himself getting the first loss of his career when the fight was stopped in the 10th due to profuse bleeding over Hussein's eyelid.

It was a decision that did not sit well with Team Hussein, as it blamed referee Sonny Padilla for administering a long count when Pacquiao was downed. Until now, Hussein is still adamant on fighting Pacquiao again.

"Pacquiao is a better fight for me, but I want to win a world title. Pacquiao would be an easier fight for me than Valbuena. His style is made to order for me. Having fought him before, I know how to beat him," Hussein told Secondsout's Paul Upham in an interview.

However, Hussein says he will be prepared for Valbuena. "He has never been stopped in five losses and would be a good test for me," Hussein said.
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WBC #1 Suico battles #1 Fana in April

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES--Barring any major upset on January 30, reigning OPBF junior lightweight king and WBC no. 2 Randy Komong Bato Suico will battle WBC no. 1 Mzonke Fana sometime April in South Africa.

The Suico-Fana bout will serve as the final WBC eliminator, with the winner assured of a chance to fight the winner of the February 28 WBC showdown between Jesus Chavez and Erik Morales.

The WBC had ruled at their Annual Convention in Moscow in October last year that the winner of the Fana-Suico eliminator would become the official legitimate challenger for the world title, currently held by Jesus Chavez.

Fana's promoter Branco Milenkovic, who heads the Johannesburg-based outfit Branco Sports Productions (BSP), has informed that SABC Sport, which has backed Fana throughout his rise to prominence, had expressed a huge interest in broadcasting the fight as this will mark the very first time that a South African fighter will take part in an official WBC eliminator.

However, the Cebu-based Suico, unbeaten in 20 fights with 17 KOs, will have to hurdle first one final fight as he is slated to defend his OPBF title here on January 30 against mandatory challenger Seungkeun Baek of South Korea.

Suico, along with another Cebuano phenom Jimrex Jaca, headlines the Wakee Salud-promoted Explosion at the Waterfront card at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel here.

The South African Fana, holder of the WBC International title, parades a record of 20 wins, 2 losses with 7 KOs.
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Gejon battles Panamanian Melo in "KO Drugs"

Filipino pride and WBA/WBC no 4 minifly Yukka Wiseguy Gejon (17 wins, 0 loss, 1 draw, 10 KOs) has found a new opponent in Panamas Carlos Melo who will shoot it out with him in a 12-round war for the vacant Fedelatin minimumweight crown on January 31 at the 13,000-capacity El Poliedro in Caracas, Venezuela.

The World Boxing Association had earlier announced that the winner of this bout will also be installed as the no. 1 contender to the WBA throne currently occupied by Noel Arambulet of Venezuela.

Earlier, Gejon was slated to face Venezuelan Juan Landaeta but the latter was moved up into the main event to battle Thai Chana Porpaoin after WBA champ Noel Arambulet pulled out of his titular defense due to a knee injury suffered while training early this week.

WBA world ratings committee chairman Jose Oliver Gomez, in a message to this writer, has confirmed that Melo has been chosen to battle Gejon.

The new opponent for Yukka Gejon is Carlos Melo, Gomez said.

Melo parades a record of 8 wins, 2 losses with 1 KO. A native of Panama City, this right-handed boxer is trained by Frank Arroyo and managed by Rogelio Espino of the Istmo Promotions and Events.

Espino, when reached for comment, reveals that his boy is ready for Gejon. Carlos Melo will travel on the 24th and I know that he will do a great work in Venezuela, Espino declared.

Gejon, who is training at the Flores and ALA gyms of Cebu, is slated to travel to Venezuela on January 26 with trainer Crisologo Brix Flores.

The Gejon-Melo bout is a contribution of promoter Akihiko Honda and Joe Koizumi of Asian boxing for the WBAs KO Drugs event.
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WBC appoints top officials for Gamboa-Arce

A stellar list of ring officials have been appointed to work on tomorrow's World Boxing Council junior fly duel between reigning champ Jorge Travieso Arce and Filipino challenger Joma Gamboa at the Banamex of the Hipodromo of the Americas in Mexico City, Mexico.

Veteran referee Jay Nady, a fixture of many Las Vegas fights, will be the third man on the ring, announced WBC executive secretary Mauricio Sulaiman.

Nady, who refereed the Luisito Espinosa-Carlos Rios bout in Kidapawan City, had also worked on the Fernando Vargas-Felix Trinidad bout, as well as Kostya Tszyu-Zab Judah tiff. Nady also worked the Barrera-Morales and John Ruiz-Roy Jones battles.

The three judges tasked to pen the bout are Ray Hawkins (Texas), Peter Trematerra (Florida), and Gerald Ritter (Oklahoma).

Fight supervisor will be Hector Garcia of Florida.

The Gamboa-Arce undercard pits Jorge Kahwagi versus Anthony Cooks, while Antonio Neighborhood Rock battles Julio Cesar Lobito Cardona.

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Pacquiao to watch buddy Suicos defense

Universal featherweight king Manny Pacquiao is expected to make a personal appearance when the Explosion at the Waterfront card comes off the wraps on January 30 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

Promoter Rex Wakee Salud has informed that Pacquiao has already acceded to the invitation when he talked to Pacquiao early last month in Subic.

Pacquiao is said to be an avid fan of Randy Komong Bato Suico (WBC/WBA no. 2), the reigning Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation junior lightweight champ who will defend his title in the 12-round main event against Korean mandatory challenger Seungkeun Baek.

Pacquiao first came up close and personal with Suico sometime middle of December 1999, when the duo figured in a heated three-round sparring session at the L&M Gym in Manila.

Suico was then in his final preparation for his first foreign outing in Japan, while Pacquiao was also doing his final workout for his first crack at the superbantam crown against WBC International superbantam champ Reynante Jamili.

Since Pacquiao was looking for a sparmate, and Suico happened to be visiting the gym with trainer Juanito Ablaca, the duo were pitted against each other in a 3-round war.

After the heated session, Suico and Pacquiao shook hands and became friends.

Pacquiao went on to stop Jamili in the second round, while Suico impressed the Japanese boxing community with a third-round knockout of Jun Tanigawa in Takasago, Japan.
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Gejon-Landaeta is off!

WBC/WBA no. 4 minimumweight Yukka Wiseguy Gejon will now face a Panamanian opponent after Juan Landaeta has been moved up into the main event of the January 31 Latin American Boxing Festival  WBA KO Drugs at the El Poliedro in Caracas, Venezuela.

Landaeta has been tapped to replace WBA minimumweight champ Noel Arambulet, who pulled out of his defense against Thai Chana Porpaoin following what doctors diagnosed as a knee injury produced during a training session.

As such, Arambulet has now been designated as champion in recess by the WBA, while the winner of the Landaeta-Porpaoin battle will become the interim champion.

By the same token, the winner of the Gejon bout against the Panamanian boxer will still become the no. 1 contender to Arambulets crown plus he takes home the vacant Fedelatin crown.

Gejon, unbeaten in 17 fights with 1 draw and 10 KOs, will leave for Venezuela on January 26 with trainer Crisologo Brix Flores.

Gejons manager Rex Wakee Salud will not be able to make the trip as he will be busy for the preparations of his mammoth double OPBF championship on January 30 at the world-class Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

Joe Koizumi has already informed me of this latest development. Yukka will now face a Panamanian instead of Landaeta. But I know my boy Gejon will win. He is ready, Salud said in an interview yesterday.
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SINULOG RESULTS
Fuentes, Bautista shine in Sinulog bouts

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES--The future of Cebu boxing is clearly in good hands following what turned out to be an impressive showing by the ALA Boys in Sunday nights Sinulog: The Best of the New Breed against seasoned foes at the jampacked Sammy Gello-ani card at the Gaisano Countrymall carpark

In the main event, ALA Boy Rocky Fuentes did not disappoint in a historic bout with Rober Gadian as he rained body blows on the latter en route to a fine technical knockout win at the 2:54 mark of the fourth round.

NO MAS
It was a highly dramatic match-up featuring two pugs with tragic victories in their resume. For lack of a more apt description, it was a bout between killer pugs.

However Fuentes, still reeling from his recent tragic bout against the late John Eman Juarez, did not go head-hunting, opting to dig deep into Gadians midsection with crisp and accurate shots in the first three rounds.

By the fourth, Fuentes power became more evident, and as he pinned Gadian in the latters corner, the visiting fighter turned his back writhing in pain and shaking his head. He has had enough, and referee Teddy Alivio had also seen enough and saved him from more punishment.

SWEETER-THAN-CALAMAY VICTORY
In the co-feature, ALA Boy Rey Bautista of Candijay, Bohol (RP no. 7, PABA no. 9 superfly) took on his toughest foe to date in a stretched out bout against wily veteran Rodel Kid Orais.

Bautista inflicted a cut on Orais with a legit blow in the second round, then followed it up with a knockdown in the fourth against Orais to cruise to a 96-93, 99-92, 97-93 unanimous verdict win.

Orais, however, proved to be equal to the task as he befuddled Bautista with great lateral and angled movements all throughout, oftentimes taunting Bautista to the delight of the close to 7,000 spectators who watched the show.

In the end, however, Bautistas effective aggressiveness and better conditioning saved him from Orais ring experience.

REAL DEAL TRIBO
In the nights most exciting war, ALA Boy Reynald Tribo (RP no. 2 superbantam) proved to be real deal as he pole-axed a talented Elden De la Cruz with a barrage of shots en route to an impressive technical knockout win at the 26 seconds mark of the 4th round.

Tribo scored a knockdown in the opening session, but found himself in the middle of the storm as De la Cruz never wavered in a take-no-prisoner affair.

KING CEASAR, ROLLEN WIN
Meanwhile, debuting ALA Boy Ceasar Amonsot passed his baptism of fire as he stopped Ozamiz Citys Rey Lumoljo at the 2:41 mark of the 5th frame.

After weathering Lumoljos early spurt, Amonsot bucked down to work right away as he caught the visitor with several body shots to end matters as Lumuljo went down for the count and for good.

Another debuting ALA Boy, Rock N Rollen Del Castillo knocked down Renante Rodena in the opening session, then unleashed a right to the body to stop the latter 24 seconds gone in the second round.

Another ALA Boy, Reman Salim, failed to see action after his opponent Daniel Diolan was declared medically unfit to fight by the ring physician.

In the curtain-raiser, Ryan del Prado stopped Philip Daniel Mansing in the 6th to keep his unbeaten slate.

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WBC chief okays Pacquiao vs Larios

World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman certainly relishes the idea of having universal featherweight king Manny Pacquiao in his fold.

Sulaiman, head of the Mexico-based WBC, yesterday informed this writer that he has no problem with a possible Manny Pacquiao clash with WBC superbantam king Oscar Chololo Larios, the acknowledged king of all 122-pounders.

We would approve it, Sulaiman said, in reaction to a proposed Pacquiao-Larios duel.

Sulaiman, however, informed that his office has not yet received any request for a Pacquiao-Larios fight to take place, and if it indeed happens, he would be more than willing to install the winner as mandatory challenger to the victor of the April 10 showdown between no. 1 Injin Chi and no. 2 Michael Brodie in England.

The winner (of Pacquiao vs Larios) would be confirmed as the official challenger to the featherweight champion of the world, who will come out of the fight between #1 Injin Chi, and # 2
Michael Brodie to be held in England on april 10, coming, Sulaiman explained from his headquarters in Mexico.

However, even if Pacquiao opts to fight another foe, he remains a sure bet to vie for the WBC title anyway as he is currently ranked no. 3 behind no. 1 Chi and no. 2 Brodie.

The WBC featherweight throne remains vacant after Chi and Brodie fought to a draw in their first duel last October 18 in England. Mexican hero Erik Morales had previously vacated the throne to pursue a fight with WBC junior lightweight champ Jesus Chavez on February 28.

Larios is one of the three marquee names being floated as possible next foe for Pacquiao. The two other candidates are WBA/IBF featherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez and Texan Paulie Ayala.
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