Denver hurdles last obstacle for title shot

MANILA, Philippines - Living up to his newly dubbed ring sobriquet “The Animal,” Denver Cuello looked beastly in devouring No. 1 contender Ganigan Lopez of Mexico in two rounds before a partisan crowd at the Antiguo Palenque de la Feria, Celaya, Guanajuato, Saturday night (yesterday morning, Manila time) to earn a guaranteed crack at the WBC minimumweight crown.

Cuello, 25, was relentless in pursuing his prey from the opening bell. It didn’t take long for the Iloilo knockout artist to floor Lopez with a right uppercut to the body capped by a left uppercut to the jaw. Lopez got up on shaky legs and managed to stay on his feet until the end of the first round. In the second stanza, Cuello went in for the kill. He even allowed Lopez to land a few shots before delivering the coup de grace – a left uppercut to the jaw. Lopez went down for the full count. Referee Frank Garza of Lincoln Park, Michigan, ended it at 2:37 of the second.

Both fighters tipped the scales at the minimumweight limit of 105 during the weigh-in in Plaza Centro Celaya the day before.

Cuello’s manager Aljoe Jaro, celebrating his 39th birthday, phoned The STAR from Mexico just as the fight ended. He said there was never any doubt Cuello would stop Lopez who had won seven in a row before succumbing to the Filipino buzzsaw. “Denver was determined to score a knockout,” said Jaro, once a world-rated flyweight. “But if somehow Lopez could last up to six rounds, Denver promised his face wouldn’t be the same. That’s how confident he was. The WBC assigned a neutral referee (Garza) and neutral judges but we didn’t want to take a chance on a decision. We didn’t want it to go 12 rounds.”

Garza, 59, has worked as a referee for nearly 20 years and is known for his job in Timothy Bradley’s 10th round technical decision win over Devon Alexander in a WBC/WBO lightwelterweight title fight last year. The unbeaten Bradley battles WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on June 9.

Cuello started out strong, peppering Lopez with his right jab. Lopez, a southpaw like Cuello, moved away and avoided an early engagement.  Cuello used the jab to set up Lopez and it worked like a charm. Lopez never got untracked. Early in the second round, Lopez surprisingly went on the attack but Cuello stood his ground to end it with a flourish.

“The first knockdown came in the middle of the ring,” said Jaro who battled former WBC superflyweight champion Jose Luis Bueno of Mexico to a draw in Tokyo in 1992. “The second knockdown came with Lopez trapped along the ropes. The crowd cheered for Lopez in the beginning but when it was all over, they were chanting, Animal. Mexican fans love Denver because of his exciting style. They also call him the little Pacquiao.”

Jaro and US Army veteran Carlos Vasquez worked Cuello’s corner in the fight. Cuello is co-promoted by Jaro, Canelo Promotions of Saul Alvarez and Eddy Reynoso and Thai millionaire Naris Singwancha. Cuello and Jaro arrive in Manila from Los Angeles on Saturday morning.

Jaro said the fight wasn’t only for Cuello’s WBC Silver minimumweight crown but also the WBC interim championship. Cuello earned the right to be the next challenger of the winner of the June 20 unification bout between WBC titleholder Kazuto Ioka and WBA champion Akira Yaegashi in Osaka.

“I expect Denver to fight for the WBC title in August or September in Japan,” said Jaro. “It doesn’t matter who wins – Ioka or Yaegashi. If Ioka wins, he will be ordered to defend against Denver. If he refuses and relinquishes the crown to move up to the lightflyweight division, Denver will be automatically proclaimed new WBC champion because he now holds the interim belt. If Yaegashi wins, the WBC will order him to defend against Denver by August or September. Either way, Denver is assured of a title shot before the year ends. He will be the next Filipino world champion for sure.”

The win over Lopez raised Cuello’s record to 31-4-6, with 21 KOs. He has now scored 10 straight wins, all by KO, since losing to Juan Hernandez on a highly disputed third round disqualification in Mexico City two years ago. Cuello has carved out a reputation as an irrepressible road warrior with three KO wins in Mexico and victories in Honolulu and Thailand. He turned pro in 2004, losing on points to Pit Anacaya in his debut. Cuello later avenged the defeat by decisioning Anacaya twice.

Cuello lost his mother Irene who died of a stroke in 2007 and cares for his 58-year-old father Demetrio who is a letterpress operator at the West Visayas University printing press. One of five children, he is the only fighter in the family and the biggest earner. Cuello pays for the college education of his brothers Denmark and Dizon. A sister Cheryl works as a domestic helper in Singapore. Another sister Cherry is a computer science graduate.

The Philippines has so far produced nine world 105-pound champions – IBF’s Eric Chavez (1989-90), IBF’s Manny Melchor (1992), WBF’s Ronnie Magramo (1995-96), WBU’s Rolando Toyogon (1997), WBO’s Eric Jamili (1997-98), WBA’s Joma Gamboa (2000), IBO’s Noel Tunacao (2003), IBF’s Florante Condes (2007-08) and WBO’s Donnie Nietes (2007-10).