BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Ramon Hirales Garcia, according to his trainer, is Julio Cesar Chavez, Tommy Hearns and Manny Pacquiao all rolled into one.
Except that in yesterday’s official weigh-in for his title defense against Filipino Donnie Nietes, the champion from Mexico came in overweight.
Garcia, who’s been training for more than a week in Cebu, was a pound over the 108 lb limit, and needed less than an hour to shake off the excess baggage.
When he tipped the scales a second time, all naked, the 29-year-old Garcia made it. Only then did the fight for the WBO light-flyweight crown became official.
Nietes, the former WBO minimumweight champion, was right on the dot, and can’t hide his excitement to be fighting before his home fans.
As the WBO champion at 105 lb, Nietes had to fight in Mexico a couple of times, and succeeded. He reigned champion in that class for over three years.
Until he decided to move up in weight and seek his second world title.
Overweight or not, Garcia poses a serious threat to Nietes.
It only means one thing: the pride of Murcia will have his hands full when he faces Garcia at the St. La Salle Gymnasium here.
“One hundred percent tiwala akong mananalo (I’m 100 percent confident of a victory),” said Nietes (28-1-3), 16 knockouts.
“Kung tayo nga nananalo sa lugar nila (Mexico), mas dapat tayong manalo dito sa Pilipinas (If I can win overseas, there’s no reason why we can’t do it here,” added Nietes, an Industrial technology graduate.
He is seeking to become the seventh Filipino boxer to win at least two world titles in different weight classes after Manny Pacquiao, Luisito Espinosa, Dodie Boy and Gerry Peñalosa, Brian Viloria and Nonito Donaire.
But by the way Garcia’s trainer sounded, it looked like Nietes will need more than the hometown support to win his second world title.
“I’m going to be honest with you. He has a left hook like Julio Cesar Chavez; he has a swing like Pacquiao and the speed and power of Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns,” said the trainer, Leo Camacho.
“It’s a strong declaration,” he added in a chat with www.philboxing.com prior to yesterday’s official weigh-in at the SM Mall.
But Nietes said he knows what he’s up against.
“All his fights his power punches were with his left. He doesn’t seem that strong. His left hook will make him open for my uppercut,” said Nietes of his southpaw opponent (16-2-1 with 9 KOs).
“So, there’s a good chance of a knockout,” he added.