Landero next up for world title bid

MANILA, Philippines - Michael Landero resumes the Philippines’ quest for another world champion when he takes on Hekkie Budler for the vacant IBO minimumweight crown in Gauteng, South Africa, on Sept. 24 but even as the odds are daunting, his manager Rommel Nazario is confident the knockout artist from Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, will bring home the belt.

No Filipino has won a world title fight in South Africa ever and the list of 18 losses dates back to 1996. Among those who came back empty-handed were Juanito Rubillar twice, Arnel Barotillo twice, Eric Barcelona thrice, Tiger Ari, Jesus Salud, Eden Sonsona, Johnriel Casimero and Danilo Peña. 

So far this year, six Filipinos have lost in attempts to capture a world title. The country’s reigning world champions are welterweight Manny Pacquiao, bantamweight Nonito Donaire Jr. and flyweight Brian Viloria.

Nazario said yesterday it will take a knockout for Landero to claim the title. “Michael can do it,” said Nazario whose late father Rod masterminded Pacquiao’s rise to global fame as the Filipino icon’s business manager. “They call him ‘Little Tyson’ in Japan. No Japanese fighter dares to get in the ring with him after he scored two knockouts in Japan last year. We tried to arrange for Michael to defend his OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) title in Manila but couldn’t find any takers. That’s why we decided for Michael to relinquish his OPBF crown and go for the IBO title.”

Budler, 23, is a former IBO 105-pound champion bidding to regain the throne. Nazario described the South African as a runner who’s weak in the gut. If Landero catches up with him, Budler will surely go down, added Nazario. The challenge is for Landero to cut the ring off on Budler and pin him down.

“Michael will end the Filipino jinx in South Africa,” said Nazario. “He’ll be my first world champion. It could be a sign that Michael will fight on Sept. 24, my father’s second death anniversary. He’s dedicating the fight to my father. Last year, Michael defended the OPBF title with an eighth round knockout over Yasutaka Kuroki on Sept. 25, a day after the first death anniversary. When my father passed away, he asked me to take care of our fighters, continue his TV program ‘In This Corner’ and maintain the Wild Card Gym in Parañaque. So far, I’ve been able to do what he wanted. We now have 11 fighters, including OPBF superfeatherweight champion Ronald Pontillas, Allan Tañada and Dan Nazareno.”

Nazario, 42, said Landero will leave for South Africa a week before the fight with trainer Ericson Asilo and Gerry Garcia. To warm up for Budler, Landero halted Pit Anacaya in the third round in Puerto Princesa last June.

Landero, 24, is unbeaten in his last nine outings, including two in Japan, and has a 15-4-4 record, with five KOs. He is ranked No. 7 by the WBC. His only losses were inflicted by Denver Cuello, Arden Diale and George Salva twice. Landero avenged the defeats to Salva by outpointing him in 2007. Budler, 23, has an 18-1 record, with six KOs.

Fighting overseas doesn’t faze Landero, insisted Nazario, although he realizes it’s tough to win on hostile territory. The encouraging sign is Landero has fought twice abroad and came home unscathed, stopping Kenichi Horikawa in Osaka and Kuroki in Ibaragi.

“September is a special month for our family,” said Nazario, the sixth of his father’s seven children. “That was the month when Dan (Nazareno) won the PABA (Pan Asia Boxing Association) lightwelterweight title with a sixth round knockout over Manfa Luksaikongdin in Thailand last year. And on Sept. 6, he’ll face Teerachai Kratiengdaengym for the PABA welterweight championship in Bangkok. September is also the month when Michael will become my first world champion.”

Nazario said his 11 fighters live in the Parañaque gym which was opened in 2004. “It’s like what the L&M Gym was when Manny was starting out,” he said. “Fighters who can’t be accommodated in the quarters sleep inside the ring at night. Boxing is a hard life. My father was dedicated not only to the sport but also to the fighters whose lives he wanted to make better. My father is the inspiration that keeps me going.”

Nazario said Pacquiao always lends a helping hand to give his fighters a break. Tañada, a former OPBF superfeatherweight titlist, was tapped to fight in the undercard of Pacquiao’s fight against Sugar Shane Mosley in Las Vegas last May but backed out when a medical examination confirmed a cataract in his eye. Pacquiao paid for the laser treatment to remove the cataract in Los Angeles. Tañada is now booked to fight in San Bernardino, near Los Angeles, on Oct. 27 as a Pacquiao talent.