Maliban kay Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, isa pang local fighter ang gumagawa ng eksena sa boxing ring.
Sasagupain ng 27-anyos na si Filipina super bantamweight Ana Julaton, nakabase ngayon sa Daly City, California, si Mexican super flyweight Mayela Perez ngayon (Manila time) sa Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino sa Lemoore, California.
Unang gumawa ng ingay si Julaton na isa sa undercard sa laban ni Pacquiao kay Marco Antonio Barrera noong Oktubre 6 sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
“She’s a good fighter,” wika ng 29-anyos na si Pacquiao kay Julaton, bronze medalist sa 2005 National Golden Gloves. “She wants to be world champion. I love to give her inspiration and moral support.”
Sakaling manalo si Julaton, nagdadala ng 3-0-0 win-loss-draw ring record, kay Perez, may 7-6-1 (6 KOs) slate, posibleng makaharap ng Fil-Am fighter si World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight champion Jackie Nava (17-2-2, 9 KOs) sa Nobyembre, ayon kay Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions.
“I am going to have all these challenges and I want to pass them. I look forward to it. I feel like the biggest part of my fight is the training. If I get to level where they need me to be, then I feel I will be ok,” ani Julaton. Si Julaton ang nag-iisang female boxer na nasa Wild Card Boxing Gym ni trainer Freddie Roach.
“She’s one of the guys, because I don’t train girls any different than I train guys,” wika ni Roach kay Julaton, nakaka-sparring rin nina Gerry Peñalosa at Diosdado Gabi sa Wild Card Gym. “As for all my fighters, if they work hard then I am happy. She works hard, so it is work as usual.” (Russell Cadayona)