VILLANUEVA, MAKILING MAKE WEIGHT FOR PLARIDEL, MISAMIS OCC. FIGHT

Plaridel, Misamis Occidental – Former world title challenger and World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental Featherweight champion Lorenzo “Thunderbolt” Villanueva who is trying to get back into the world rankings following a long lay-off easily made the 127-lb. limit in his non-title bout against Bukidnon’s Alvin Makiling here.

Makiling, 25, a former WBU champion, also comfortably made the weight at 127 pounds and will go up against the hardpunching North Cotabato fighter in the main event of a boxing event called “Mano-Mano sa Bagong Plaridel.”

The weigh-in was witnessed by Plaridel Mayor Diego “Nonoy” Ty who wishes to use the boxing event, part of the town’s fiesta celebration, to start a grassroots boxing program in his town.

International Boxing Organization (IBO) World Junior Bantamweight Champion Edrin “The Sting” Dapudong joined the official weigh-in as personal guest of Mayor Ty.

Dapudong, 27, North Cotabato’s first world boxing champion, is also a product of a grassroots boxing program started in 1998.

Dapudong will appear in a special 3-round sparring match against a local professional boxer as part of the boxing event Sept. 11.

Also appearing in the undercard of the professional event is former WBO Oriental Miniflyweight champion Rommel “Little Assassin” Asenjo who will go up against Brobro Languido in six rounds and tall Roskie “Kapre” Cristobal, 19, who will take on veteran Eric Mancera in 4.

Cristobal, from President Roxas town in North Cotabato, 5′ 10″ tall, has a record of 5 wins with 5 knockouts, all in the first round.

Amateur bouts and special bouts between two hobbits and two gay boxers will complete the card to be staged at the municipal gymnasium of Plaridel.

(Photo caption: Plaridel Mayor Nonoy Ty poses with Villanueva and Makiling and the other boxers appearing in the Sept. 11 fight card.)

Source: Manny Piñol