Cotabato Boxer Leaves for South Africa Today

North Cotabato boxer Edrin “The Sting” Dapudong, the former World Boxing Organization Oriental junior flyweight champion, flies to Johannesburg, South Africa today exactly six days before he takes his second attempt to win a World Boxing Championship. 

Dapudong, 27, who comes from Barangay Pag-asa, M’lang and a product of a grassroots boxing program started by then Governor Manny Pinol, will go up against former world junior flyweight champion Gideon Buthelezi of South Africa for the vacant International Boxing Organization (IBO) junior bantamweight world title on Nov. 10. 

Gov. Pinol, who is also Dapudong’s registered boxing manager now, will fly to Johannesburg on Nov. 7 to be in the corner of the North Cotabato fighter along with outstanding Filipino trainer Aljo Jaro, who is also from the province. 

This will be Dapudong’s second attempt at the world title. 

Early this year, Dapudong went up against Mexican Herman “Tyson” Marquez but lost after the fight was prematurely stopped by the referee following a flash knockdown suffered by the Filipino challenger. 

Against Buthelezi, the 5′ 5″ tall fighter from M’lang, North Cotabato is given a big chance of winning the IBO title and making history as the first boxer from North Cotabato to win a world boxing title.

Source: Manny Piñol