With Freddie Roach in his corner, Mayol aims to make it 2-0 for RP against Puerto Rico
September 10, 8:38 PM
Indianapolis Fight Sports ExaminerDennis "dSource" Guillermo
Mayol and Roach at the Wild Card Gym (AP Photo)
Mandaue's favorite boxing son Rodel Mayol (25-3-1-19 KO) has a daunting task ahead of him this Saturday, September 12. Not only is he trying to unseat undefeated WBO light flyweight champion Ivan Calderon (32-0-1-6 KO), he also has to do in in his opponent's backyard in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.
Mayol who seemed to be on his way to an upset victory over Calderon during their first outing in June had to settle for a draw and a rematch after Calderon was not able to continue due to a nasty cut on his forehead caused by an accidental head-butt.
This time however, instead of Buboy Fernandez, Mayol will have Freddie Roach manning his corner in Puerto Rico in hopes to make it 2-0 in September for the Philippines in their rivalry against Puerto Rico. Mayol has been training long and hard at the Wild Card Gym since his first fight with Calderon and his trainer is confident about Mayol's chances to become the newest addition to the list of world champion boxers coming from the Philippines. Roach told BoxingScene.com's Ryan Songalia,
"I think 100% that with the way his mindset is and the confidence he has compared to the last time, he'll win the fight,"
I spoke to Mayol last week before he left for Puerto Rico and asked him if he was concerned at all that Calderon might run his way to a favorable decision victory and whether he was going for the knockout to avoid a heartbreaking hometown decision loss. Mayol responded,
"I will be more aggressive and make sure the judges will have no reason to give him any of the rounds. I will go for the knockout when the opportunity presents itself but I will also have to be careful and time my shots so I won't get tired and punch my way out of the fight. He will try to run and make me miss, and when you miss, you get tired faster."
Roach, who is quite familiar with Calderon after using him as a sparring partner for Oscar De la Hoya's camp against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2006 laid out a strategy for Mayol. Roach said,
The left hook is the best weapon against a southpaw. He likes to use the right hand but we have to get him in position. We're working on the left hook to the head and body and moving out of harm's way after. We're working on the left mostly but to keep Calderon honest we have to use both hands.
Mayol is a significant betting underdog against Calderon, but with the way things are looking in his training and based on Freddie Roach's track record on predicting fights, it looks like Mayol's chances are a lot better than what odds-makers predict it to be. Calderon will be in for the fight of his life as he will be facing a foe who not only has seen him fight before and is aware and comfortable with his fighting style, he will also be facing a frustrated world champion caliber fighter with a burning desire to finally reach his destiny. This is after all what many feel and consider Mayol's last shot, and by the looks of it, if he is to go down, he will go down swinging. Expect war.
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Originally Posted by jdsanz
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