Farenas’ hopes hinge on KO

There’s no turning back for grizzled warrior Michael Farenas. The odds are stacked against the Sorsogon veteran as he takes on Jose Pedraza in a scheduled 12-round IBF superfeatherweight title eliminator at the Coliseo Pedrin Zorrilla in San Juan, Puerto Rico, tomorrow night (Sunday morning, Manila).

In battling Pedraza, Farenas must hurdle three stumbling blocks. First, Farenas is battling Pedraza on hostile grounds. The crowd will be extremely partisan. Seating capacity in the Coliseo Pedrin Zorilla is about 2,000 which isn’t large. But a packed crowd in a small arena can be much louder than a large crowd in a big stadium. You won’t expect too many Filipinos in the crowd and no matter their numbers, they’ll be drowned out by the locals. Farenas, however, is used to fighting away from home.

 In a career that started in 2004, Farenas has figured in 14 overseas outings, losing only twice and drawing twice with one no-contest. Seven of his foreign fights were won in the US. He’s never fought in Puerto Rico before and Filipino fighters aren’t particularly lucky when battling there. Farenas’ manager Gerry Penalosa himself was victimized by Juan Manuel Lopez in Puerto Rico. Bernabe Concepcion, Marvin Sonsona and Rodel Mayol also lost fights in Puerto Rico.

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 But if there’s anyone who can break the Filipinos’ bad luck streak in Puerto Rico, it’s Farenas. He’s hungry for a world title. Farenas knows a win over Pedraza will make him the mandatory challenger of IBF champion Rances Barthelemy. Right now, Farenas is the No. 2 contender and Pedraza, No. 3. The No. 1 slot is vacant and reserved for the winner of tomorrow’s showdown. By the way, Penalosa recently said Barthelemy is easier for Farenas to beat than Pedraza so if he hurdles the Puerto Rican, the title may conceivably be in the bag.

 Another thing going for Farenas is his experience. He’s fought some of the best in the business like Cuba’s Yuriorkis Gamboa whom he knocked down once. Farenas has logged 47 fights compared to Pedraza’s 18. The Filipino has fought six 12-round bouts so far while Pedraza only one.

 Farenas must shut his ears to the crowd and focus on Pedraza without distractions. He has to be single-minded in his attack. Forget the noise in the stadium, ignore the jeers. There’s a job to be done and Farenas can’t afford to be less than 100 percent mentally concentrated in beating Pedraza.

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 Second, the IBF has dealt a loaded deck for Pedraza. The referee is Roberto Ramirez Sr., a Puerto Rican. One of the judges Carlos Colon is Puerto Rican. Another judge Tony Paolillo of New York is Hispanic. The third judge is John Stewart of New Jersey. Obviously, the panel of judges is far from neutral. “I keep reminding Michael not to let the judges decide who’ll win,” said Penalosa. “You’ll never know how the hometown crowd can influence the judges.”

 And third, Pedraza is almost a national hero. It may not be as difficult to beat a hometowner who’s not revered as a national hero. But Pedraza has a long history of fighting for his country even as an amateur. He bagged a bronze at the AIBA World Cup in Moscrow in 2008 and a silver at the AIBA World Championships in Milan the next year. Pedraza reached the second round at the 2008 Beijing Olympics wearing the Puerto Rican colors. As a pro, Pedraza is being hailed as another Felix Trinidad or Miguel Cotto or Wilfredo Vazquez, Sr. or Wilfred Benitez or Hector Camacho or Edwin Rosario, a fighter destined to continue the rich legacy of brilliant Puerto Rican champions. He’s unbeaten with an 18-0 record, including 12 KOs. The probability is Pedraza won’t suffer his first defeat before his adoring countrymen.

 Farenas’ only option is to go for a knockout, plain and simple. Pedraza is a slick stylist with a boxing routine that could frustrate a brawler like Farenas. If the fight goes the distance, the chances are Pedraza will win the decision – given his style and the composition of the judges panel. So Farenas has to start strong, like a racehorse darting out of the gates at a breakneck gallop. He’s got to attack from the onset and bulldoze his way through Pedraza’s defense. That will strike the crowd out of the winning equation. Farenas has scored 31 KOs in 39 wins so he knows what it takes to bring down an opponent. It now becomes a matter of execution.