Villanueva confident of capturing world crown

Undefeated world featherweight contender Lorenzo “Thunderbolt” Villanueva ended his 45-day high altitude training in Baguio City last Monday and flew to Singapore yesterday to prepare for his International Boxing Organization (IBO) world championship at the Marina Bay Sands Resort on May 5.

The 27-year-old orphan from Bual Norte, Midsayap, North Cotabato who holds an impressive professional record of 24 wins with 23 knockouts is accompanied by his manager, former North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol who nurtured him since he was 14 years old, and his two assistant trainers Dante Lerio and Rex Penalosa.

Villanueva will go up against Indonesia’s Daud Cino Yordan, 25, a former Olympian who is considered as one of Indonesia’s two top professional boxers, along with World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion Chris John who is also defending his title in one of the two world title fights featured at the Marina Bay Sands this Saturday.

Yordan, who is taller than the Filipino by an inch at 5′ 7″ is considered the more veteran and skillful of the two fighters having had a long amateur stint and two unsuccessful bids for the world title against John and world champion Celestino Caballero.

POWERFUL BUT STILL THE UNDERDOG

The Filipino fighter, who has been signed up by Freddie Roach and underwent a 3-week training with the Hall of Fame trainer late last year, is considered as a street fighter who, while awkward inside the ring, possesses tremendous power and has knocked down all of his opponents as a pro, with 23 of them not lasting beyond 10 rounds.

His last three fights ended in first round knockouts with the shortest at 1 minute 17 seconds of the first canto against another Indonesian, Eddy Comaro. His last knockout was against Diego Ledesma of Mexico who only lasted one minute 25 seconds.

Against Yordan, however, Villanueva is considered an underdog.

While the Indonesian fighter suffered two losses in his two world title attempts, he has never been stopped, not even by Chris John, Indonesia’s greatest boxing champion, when they fought last year.

Quick and fast with his punches, Yordan is expected to move around the slower and sometimes flat-footed Villanueva.

“I know he will run but I will catch him,” said Villanueva.

The Filipino fighter said he will give his all in his first world title attempt “even if I have to die doing it.”

He said he is dedicating his fight to his four younger brothers and sisters whose future would depend on his victory inside the ring on Saturday. /philboxing