Cuello fights for world title today

Denver ‘The Excitement’ Cuello (33W-4L-6D, 21 KOs) of the Philippines will have his date with destiny when he battles WBC world minimumweight champion Xiong Zhao Zhong (20W-4L-1D, 11 KOs) of China today (June 28) in Dubai, UAE.
The 26 year-old Cuello had to wait for a year to finally get his first world title shot. He garnered the mandatory challenger status when he stopped Ganigan Lopez of Mexico in two rounds last May 19, 2012 in Guanajato, Mexico. However, he was asked to step aside by the WBC to pave the way for a world title fight in China involving Zhong and Mexican Javier Martinez Resendiz for the vacant title last November.
This fight was supposed to open the China market for professional boxing.
The 30 year-old Zhong became China’s first professional boxing champion when he beat Rezendiz by unanimous decision. He was not able to defend his title since November prompting the WBC to finally order the mandatory defense against Cuello.
The time in Dubai is four hours behind Manila, therefore the official weigh-in for the protagonists which was set at 4 in the afternoon of Thursday will be at 8 p.m. Philippine time.
Promoter Aljoe Jaro expressed confidence that Cuello will not face any problems making the 105 lb. division limit as his ward has been hovering within this range during his last scales test.
Cuello’s last fight was in April where he scored  a majority decision win against Takashi Kunishige in Osaka, Japan.