Farenas eyes win, shot at world crown

MANILA, Philippines - Losing isn’t an option for battled-scarred southpaw Michael (Hammer Fists) Farenas as the Sorsogon brawler takes on Mexico’s unpredictable Jesus (Chito) Rios in a 12-round bout headlining a 12-fight card promoted by MAG Pacman at the Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino tonight.

Farenas, 29, is pursuing a second shot at a world title and a loss to Rios will knock him out of contention. In July last year, he engaged WBA superfeatherweight champion Takashi Uchiyama in Saitama in his first and only bid to capture a world crown but returned home empty-handed after figuring in a third round technical draw. Four months later, Farenas was in Las Vegas to face Cuba’s Yuriorkis Gamboa for the interim WBA 130-pound title. He was floored twice but in the ninth, decked Gamboa with a brutal left hook to the jaw. Gamboa survived the assault and breezed to win by a unanimous decision. Since the Gamboa setback, Farenas has won two fights in a row inside the distance to run his record to 36-4-4, with 28 KOs, 19 inside three rounds.

With the wear and tear of a grueling career that started in 2004 slowly eroding his body, Farenas knows time isn’t on his side. At the moment, he’s ranked only by the IBF as the No. 15 contender. IBF champion Argenis Mendez of the Dominican Republic is booked to stake his throne against unbeaten Cuban challenger Rances Barthelemy in Minnesota on Jan. 3 so Farenas has to wait his turn.

The plates of the three other superfeatherweight world titlists are just as loaded. Uchiyama, 34, is set to make the eighth defense of his WBA crown against countryman Daiki Kaneko in Tokyo on Dec. 31 while WBC titleholder Takashi Miura takes on Mexican challenger Dante Jardon in the same card. WBO champion Mikey Garcia is reportedly facing Mexican challenger Juan Carlos Burgos on Jan. 24.

Farenas’ chief handler Gerry Peñalosa said the fighter must be ready for any eventuality. He said Top Rank is assembling a card for Macau on Feb. 22 and MAG Pacman will roll out the first of six bills next year on Feb. 29 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum or Solaire. Farenas could fight either in the Macau undercard or headline the Feb. 29 event.

MAG Pacman is a promotions outfit that Peñalosa, Manny Pacquiao and Shape-Up Boxing Gym owner Anson Tiu Co formed five months ago. Tonight’s card is MAG Pacman’s inaugural venture, appropriately dubbed “First Blood.” Peñalosa said the card will be broken down into four episodes to be aired on Solar TV starting Jan. 6 at 10 a.m.

Peñalosa said he expects fireworks in the Farenas-Rios bout. Both fighters are sluggers who never take a step back. Rios, 29, has a 26-4-1 record, with 20 KOs including 10 in the first round. He’s been stopped in four bouts, going down swinging each time. After losing to Genaro Camargo, Rios took a 15-month layoff and came back last June to halt Oscar Olivas. Rios went on to knock out Waldo Vela in one round last month.

Peñalosa said Farenas has to win convincingly over Rios to break back into serious world title contention. As for Rios, this is his chance to make a strong statement as a legitimate contender. A pro since 2002, he once reeled off 16 straight wins so the Mexican is no slouch. He’ll be a test for Farenas.

Three things that seem to handicap Farenas are his lack of wind, porous defense and a reputation as a bleeder. He ran out of gas against Gamboa and usually, takes more than he gives because of his come-forward, aggressive style. Farenas often leads with his head and that has caused cuts around both eyes. Five of his fights were stopped because of headbutt cuts in the first three rounds, resulting in either a technical draw or a no-contest. Against Rios, Farenas is out to prove he’s now a far better fighter than before.

In the undercard, Peñalosa’s unbeaten nephew Dodie Boy, Jr. battles Mexico’s Alem Robles. The eight-rounder could be a show stealer. Dodie Boy, Jr., 22, has an 11-0 record, with 11 KOs, but he’s gone down twice. He was floored by Donnel Marcos and Nimithra Sithsaithong before getting up to score knockouts in the third round. A tendency to get careless is what Dodie Boy, Jr. hopes to overcome. Robles has a 6-3-2 record, with 2 KOs, and is coming off a first round disposal of Carlos Sanchez in Sinaloa.

Also in the undercard is Richard Pumicpic who captured the vacant WBC Silver Youth bantamweight title via a ninth round knockout over Ratchasak Kokiet-gym in Thung Tako, Thailand, last year. Ratchasak was down twice before the fight was waved off. Pumicpic, 23, is from Zamboanga del Norte and has a record of 13-5-2, with 4 KOs. He is unbeaten in his last five outings. Pumicpic meets Mexico’s Luis Lugo in a tenner. Lugo, 18, is fresh from scoring back-to-back knockout wins and boasts a record of 15-4-2, with 11 KOs. He turned pro in 2009 and was undefeated in his first 11 bouts.