By Manny Piñol
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico – Tiny Romel “Little Assassin” Asenjo is the clear underdog in his match up against one of Yucatan’s world champions, Juan Francisco “El Gallo” Estrada, but the Mexican boxing fans are not very comfortable.
The reason?
Asenjo is a Filipino and fighters from the Philippines are always known to be tough, strong and courageous.
“You cannot be overconfident when you are fighting a Filipino,” said Jorge Poga, one of the coordinators of the fight between Estrada and Asenjo which puts on the line the flyweight world title of two boxing organizations – the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and the World Boxing Association (WBA).
“When you watch a fight between a Mexican and a Filipino, you can almost always be sure that it will be an exciting fight,” said Andres Gonzales, a businessman and a boxing fan, who took notice of the diminutive Filipino fighter as he was shadow boxing in front of the Ibis Hotel in downtown Merida where the Philippine team stays.
The Mexicans are not confident that it will be an easy fight for Estrada, considered as one of the best flyweights in the world today who has included in his list of victims big name Filipino fighters like Brian Viloria, Milan Melindo, Richie Mepranum and Joebert Alvarez.
Estrada, who has a record of 31 wins with 22 knockouts and only two losses, stands two inches taller than Asenjo, a native of Pigcawayan, North Cotabato who now fights for the Sonshine Sports Management, a sports group organized by religious leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and based in Davao City.
Asenjo, who at 25 is a year older than Estrada, has a record of 26 wins, 20 of which came by way of knockout with three losses.
Estrada has a 66.67 KO percentage while Asenjo has a 68.97 knockout percentage.
This is what scares the Mexicans.
“Filipinos can punch,” said Gonzales.
They all remember how Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, a huge underdog going into his first fight against Mexican boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera, punished the great Mexican fighter to submission.
They remember Nonito Donaire’s almost fatal knockout of Fernando Montiel in 2011 and lesser known Edrin Dapudong’s shocking first round demolition of Jesus “Zurdo” Jimenez in Tepic, Nayarit in 2010.
Filipinos always love to be the underdogs which for so many years have proved to be effective in dealing with overconfident opponents.
“I have nothing to lose. Estrada has everything to lose,” said Asenjo, who started out as an amateur boxer of the North Cotabato provincial government 15 years ago.
After a long night rest following a tiresome 30 hour trip from Manila, Asenjo did a light workout in front of the Ibis Hotel.
When he stepped on the scale for a trial weigh-in one day before the official weigh-in, Asenjo was only 51.7 kilos, just 700 grams over the limit for flyweights.
Asenjo has promised to give his best for the fight which could change his life.
Underdog, yes but this is a hungry dog.
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