Bright future for Mayol

It took Philippine minimumweight boxing champion Rodel Bryan Mayol just a single punch–a left to the solar plexus–to dispose of former Thai lightflyweight king Chiaochan Thanasawet in the second round of a non-title affair at the Joe Cantada Sports Arena in Taguig last Saturday.

The impact of Mayol’s punch rang loud and clear all the way to Muntinlupa. The blow found its mark as Chiaochan exposed his breadbasket after missing on a wild right. Mayol timed it perfectly.

Chiaochan didn’t go down immediately. A punch to the solar plexus usually generates a delayed reaction of a few seconds. Once the air blows out of the lungs, the victim gasps and collapses like a sack of potatoes. That’s exactly what happened to Chiaochan.

Referee Ferdie Estrella could’ve counted until Christmas Day and not even Santa Claus would’ve been able to rescue the hapless Chiaochan.

The win raised Mayol’s unblemished pro record to 12-0, with 10 KOs.

Mayol’s manager Terry Carter, a Vietnam war veteran based in Liloan, Cebu, said he recently came to terms on a business arrangement with Japanese impresario Akihiko Honda to steer the fighter’s future. The deal was facilitated by Joe Koizumi who used to take care of Luisito Espinosa and now manages Filipino contenders Randy Suico and Joma Gamboa. Honda, easily the most influential promoter in Asia, has agreed to be Mayol’s business agent.

The plan is for Mayol to take on three more opponents before challenging for the world crown sometime next year. The ultimate target is either World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Jose Antonio Aguirre of Mexico or the winner of the Dec. 20 bout between World Boxing Association (WBA) ruler Noel Arambulet of Venezuela and Keitaro Hoshino of Japan in Osaka.

If you ask Mayol, he’s ready to fight for the world title now. Mayol has studied Aguirre’s style carefully, watching the Mexican’s last two fights on tape and is confident of winning with his power and speed.

Mayol, ranked No. 7 by the WBC in the 105-pound division, noted that Aguirre fights like his idol, Ricardo Lopez who recently retired unbeaten after holding the WBC minimumweight and International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior flyweight titles. He said it’s a challenge to beat a fighter as skillful as Lopez.

Mayol found out how good he was with his fists by accident. When he was in Grade 3 at the Mandaue City Central School, Mayol knocked out a campus bully–bigger and three years older–with one shot. But it wasn’t until he was 15 when he began seriously training as an amateur under Brix Flores.

A two-time Palarong Pambansa gold medallist, Mayol turned pro in 2000 and was managed by Tony Aldeguer until Carter offered a P200,000 signing bonus to join his Stonewall stable last year.

Mayol is taking off this semester at Southwestern University, where he is an accounting senior, to concentrate on his prizefighting career. The oldest of five children, he sends two brothers Ruel, 18, and Arvin, 13, to school and helps out his estranged parents.

Mayol’s parents Rodrigo and Leonisa Generalao split up five years ago. His mother now lives in Malolos with Angel Cruz, a jeepney driver. His father, who has four children with a second wife, used to be a tricycle driver and is jobless in Mandaue.

Mayol said his father never fails to watch his fights in Cebu. His mother was at ringside last Saturday and confessed she was never as nervous. She’s seen her son fight on TV but never before in the flesh. The morning of the fight, she took her son to pray for strength at the Quiapo Church.

Mayol said he doesn’t see his mother often–only on special occasions, like birthdays. She commuted from Malolos to catch the action in Taguig.

In the undercard, Mayol’s stablemate and Philippine lightflyweight champion Wyndel Janiola scored a sensational seventh round stoppage of tough Asian Boxing Council titleholder Pigmy Muangchaiyabhum of Thailand.

A rugged warrior, Pigmy set the pace at the start and took the early rounds behind an aggressive attack. Janiola, an intelligent fighter, bided his time, waiting for Pigmy to wear himself out. Before long, it was evident that Pigmy was allergic to body shots and almost exclusively using his left hand. Janiola made the adjustments and soon after, began dictating the tempo with a dizzying left jab. A blow to the side of the body sent Pigmy on the floor for an eight-count early in the seventh. He got up only to be decked once more by another shot to the body. This time, Pigmy rolled over and was done for the night.

Janiola improved his pro record to 13-0, with KOs.

Carter said next in line for Janiola is a crack at the International Boxing Organization (IBO) 108-pound title held by Monelisi Mhinkhiza Myekeni in South Africa on Feb. 14.

Myekeni has compiled a 16-1 record, with six KOs, since turning pro in 1997. His only loss was to Anis Roga on a third round knockout in an IBF Intercontinental championship fight in Indonesia last year. He wrested the IBO crown via a unanimous 12-round decision over Jose Garcia of Colombia in Carnival City last April. Myekeni floored Garcia in the fifth round enroute to the easy triumph on scores of 117-111, 117-110, and 115-112.

In other tenners on promoter Edgardo (Boy) Cantada’s card, Rolando Gerongco scored a split decision over Jovy Oracion and Roger Mananquil halted Bobong Costelo in the third.

Postscript. More prizes are pouring in for the lucky 26 winners in our Christmas contest. From the PBA, 12 ashtrays, six T-shirts, six bottles of cologne, and a travel bag. From No Fear, socks, caps, T-shirts and pocket calendars. From Pro Star, NBA T-shirts and socks. The loot is getting bigger by the day. Remember we’re also giving away two cellphones from Talk ‘N’ Text and lots of goodies from Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Puma, Converse, Dunlop, the San Miguel Group, Purefoods, RFM Corp., Emerald Headway, Red Bull, the PBL, Shark, Blu Detergent, Alaska, and many more. Write your name, address, and telephone number on a sheet of paper with your answers to these questions: 1. Who will be the PBA’s MVP this year? 2. Which team will win the All-Filipino Cup-Alaska or Coca-Cola? Each entry must be inside an envelope. One entry, one envelope. No double winners. Send your entries to "The X’Mas Treat", A Sporting Chance, The Star, 13th and Railroad Streets, Port Area. Deadline is Dec. 21 or the day before Game 3 of the All-Filipino Finals Join now... Everybody will have grand time renewing old ties, says STAR sports ed Lito Tacujan on the forthcoming X’mas party of Batch 63 of the Rizal Institute in Canlubang, Laguna. The date is December 22 at the Sta. Cecilia High School. Batch members may call Sister Flory 09197590947 or Violy Laborde Barairo 09174107960.