4 Pinoy boxers to fight for world titles this July

JULY will be a busy month for boxing as four Filipino pugs battle for world crowns.

WBC Silver superflyweight champion Sylvester Lopez (19W-3L-1D, 15 KOs) of Zamboanga Sibugay will challenge Japanese WBC world superflyweight champion Yota Sato (24W-2L-1D, 12 KOs) in Yokohama on July 8. Lopez scored a huge win in Mexico last year when he stopped Mexican Oscar Ibarra in eight rounds in Queretaro.

The 24 year-old Lopez is promoted by Gabriel ‘Bebot’ Elorde. The 28 year-old Sato, on the other hand, will make the first defense of the title he won last March by unanimous decision against Suriyan Sor Rungvisai of Thailand.

The most anticipated fight next month will involve WBO superbantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (28W-1L, 18 KOs), who will face IBF superbantamweight champion Jeffrey “Mongoose” Mathebula (26W-3L-2D, 14 KOs) of South Africa on July 7 ( July 8 Philippine Time) at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

Then on July 16, two Filipinos — Michael Farenas and Sonny Boy Jaro — will fight on the same card in Japan.

Farenas (34W-3L-3D, 26 KOs) is scheduled to challenge undefeated champion Takashi Uchiyama (18W-0L, 15 KOs) for the WBA world superfeatherweight title in Kasukabe, Saitama. Farenas is a protege of former two division world champion Gerry Penalosa. He fought at the Mandaue City Sports Complex last April and beat Jason Egera by ten round split decision.

Jaro, who hails from Silay City, Negros Occidental, will defend his WBC world flyweight crown against Japanese challenger Toshiyuki Igarashi (15W-1L-1D, 10 KOs). Jaro (34W-10L-5D, 24 KOs) won his title last March by a shocking sixth round TKO against Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in Chonburi, Thailand.  /correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr.