Mayol raring to fight bitter foe Romero again

After figuring in an abbreviated fight that ended with him getting carried out of the ring on a stretcher following a cheap shot, Filipino World Boxing Council light-flyweight champion Rodel Mayol can’t wait to lock mitts with rough Mexican Omar Niño Romero again.

Mayol, recipient of a low blow and a foul left hook in a bout ruled as a three-round technical draw last Saturday in hostile Mexico, said he wants another duel with Romero so he could serve him a KO loss next time.

“I want a rematch. I feel I could knock him out next time," the LA-based Mayol said in an interview with PhilBoxing.Com.

Mayol said Romero did not hurt him at all, except of course for that shot to the groin and the follow-up left hook that landed hard on his right jaw and caused him to lay flat on his back.

“His punches are not that strong. I did not feel his power at all. I wanted to tire him out then try to KO him in the later round," he said.

The 27-year-old fighter was brought to the Military Regional Hospital in Gualajara immediately after the fight and was thoroughly checked as a precaution, according to Dr. Ed De La Vega, who served as Mayol’s cutman.

“Imaging studies (CT scan/MRI) were done and everything came back normal. I also checked his neck and jaw but everything’s fine," De La Vega reported.

Mayol himself said he’s feeling well now, and quite satisfied that he managed to keep his world title despite what happened.

“It should have been a disqualification because it was an intentional foul or deliberate punch after a foul (low blow). However, it’s quite okay as I am able to keep my belt," he said.

Mayol may get his wish for a rematch as his promoter, Manny Pacquiao, reportedly wishes to promote Mayol-Romero II himself.

“I would love that," Mayol said, vowing to get on an attack mode for that return engagement. “I will be more aggressive next time. I want to impress my Filipino boxing fans and make them happy."

Mayol won the WBC 108-lb strap last November after his second-round TKO of long-time Mexican titlist Edgar Sosa last November in Chiapas, Mexico.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Black Saturday

Disaster struck three Filipino fighters in world title fights in different countries last Saturday (Sunday morning, Manila time) and even as WBC lightflyweight champion Rodel Mayol retained his title, he was carried out of the ring on a stretcher.

Mayol staked his crown against former titleholder Omar Nino Romero in Guadalajara and before the bout, the WBC issued a strong statement chastising the Filipino for allegedly stating in a newspaper interview that he feared the governing body wouldn’t stage a fair fight. Mayol denied he ever said it.

But the damage was done. “For (Mayol) to question the WBC’s integrity is unacceptable and to question the honesty of the four North American ring officials selected for this bout will not be tolerated,” said the WBC. “The WBC appointed Gary Ritter of Oklahoma, Nathan Palmer of Indiana and Stephen Blea of Colorado as judges and referee Vic Drakulich of Nevada , all neutral officials.

“It is regrettable that Mayol, who is a very nice and gentle person, could allow these irresponsible comments to be published on his behalf. The WBC is referring the matter to the WBC disciplinary committee to evaluate and rule if any action will proceed to clarify these claims.”

In his denial, Mayol said he never questioned the WBC’s integrity or the honesty of the officials appointed to work the fight. He thanked the WBC for the opportunity to vie for the world crown and become a champion.


After getting off to a strong start, Mayol was blasted below the belt by Romero in the third round. Mayol grimaced and motioned to Drakulich that he had been struck low. Drakulich moved in, apparently to stop the action, as Mayol turned away with both arms down. Suddenly, Romero unleashed a vicious left hook that caught Mayol flush on the jaw. Drakulich was too late in preventing Romero from throwing the sucker punch. Mayol fell on the canvas like a sack of potatoes.

* * * *

Initially, there was confusion on what would be the outcome as Mayol was in no condition to continue. Drakulich consulted WBC executive secretary Mauricio Sulaiman at ringside and it was decided to declare the bout a technical draw, allowing Mayol to keep his belt. Sulaiman’s father Jose is the WBC president.

Ruling a technical draw was a compromise. If a fight is called off because a fighter is unable to continue because of a cut inflicted by an accidental headbutt in the first four rounds, then it is ruled a technical draw or a no-contest. In Mayol’s case, he was knocked out before Drakulich could step in between the fighters – similar to the situation where referee Jay Nady failed to separate Bernabe Concepcion and Steven Luevano at the sound of the seventh round bell, causing the Filipino to strike the WBO featherweight champion and knock him out in Las Vegas last year.

Concepcion was disqualified for the late hit and rightly so although Nady was widely criticized for his inability to move in between the fighters.

What happened to Mayol was unfortunate but he was lucky not to lose by knockout. The rule in boxing is for a fighter to protect himself at all times. Obviously, Mayol was defenseless after motioning to Drakulich he had been hit low and walked away from Romero. But Drakulich never got to separate the fighters so technically, there was no official stoppage and Romero had every right to continue punching. Drakulich, however, appeared to have called a halt – verbally – so if Romero heard it, he should’ve backed off. Of course, Romero will deny hearing an order to retreat – just like Concepcion denied hearing the bell ring.

Should Romero have been disqualified? To justify a disqualification, there must be malicious intent or a blatant infraction of a rule. Because it wasn’t clear if Romero should’ve won by knockout or lost by disqualification, Sulaiman handed out a solomonic compromise – a technical draw. Perhaps, it should’ve been a no-contest.

* * * *

The two other Filipinos who figured in world title bouts last Saturday suffered losses. Marvin Sonsona was knocked out by a shot to the ribs in the fourth round by Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. for the vacant WBO superbantamweight crown in Puerto Rico while Juanito Rubillar Jr. lost to Hekkie Budler on a majority decision for the vacant IBO lightflyweight diadem in South Africa.

Sonsona, 19, moved up two weight classes to battle Vazquez and never fought as a 122-pounder before. He previously campaigned in the superflyweight or 115-pound class. Not even Manny Pacquiao dared to fight for the world superbantamweight title immediately after leaving the flyweight ranks. It took Pacquiao two years before challenging IBF 122-pound champion Lehlo Ledwaba after losing the flyweight title on the scales in his second defense against Medgeon 3-K Battery.

Sonsona was unfairly rushed into another world title shot and the kid wasn’t ready to go for it. There is still some doubt whether Sonsona couldn’t make the superflyweight limit in defending his WBO title against Alejandro Hernandez last November because he was just too lazy to train or his body had naturally grown bigger. His handlers must decide at what weight division is Sonsona suited for at this stage in his physical development and that can only come after consulting a conditioning expert and nutritionist.

It’s crucial for the handlers to realize it’s not a guessing game and Sonsona could be exposed to serious injury in the ring with a decision based on unscientific factors. Finding his optimal weight is critical. Sonsona is too young, too inexperienced and too undisciplined to appreciate that locating his weight division isn’t predicated on where the scales settle after a good meal.

As for Rubillar, it seems that he was robbed of a decision. Ringside reporters said he dominated the action starting the fourth round. Budler, who was only four when Rubillar turned pro in 1994, got the nod of two of the three hometown judges. Lulma Mtya saw it 117-113 and Deon Dwarte, 115-113, both for Budler while Isaac Tshabalala scored it 114-all.

It was Rubillar’s fifth unsuccessful attempt to capture a world title and the frustration must be taking a toll on the 33-year-old veteran.

Source: Joaquin Henson  | Philstar.com

Mayol keeps title after technical draw

MANILA, Philippines - Yesterday was a bleak day for Philippine boxing.

First, Rodel Mayol was knocked out with a punch that looked illegal, Marvin Sonsona was counted out after taking three solid blows, and Juanito Rubillar lost what appeared to be a hometown decision.

Mayol’s fight with Omar Nino Romero ended in a technical draw after the Filipino champion took a low blow and, as he reeled, absorbed a solid left to the face that sent him down and out in the third round.

The referee, Vic Drakulich, was about to step in and grab Romero by his arm because of the low blow when the knockout punch landed, and stunned the crowd at the Coliseum Olimpico in Guadalajara, Mexico.

As Mayol lay on the canvass, Romero’s camp whooped it up, thinking it was a clear knockout and that they had wrested the WBC flyweight crown from the Filipino. But it was ruled a technical draw, and not a KO.


As a result, Mayol kept the crown and may look forward to an immediate rematch. But not after he was taken to the hospital for some tests. He was found to be “okay,” according to his cutman, Dr. Ed dela Vega.

“Although he was hit hard on the jaw, there was no fracture in his jaw and his neck is fine. We are about to get back to our hotel from the hospital,” Dela Vega was quoted by philboxing.com as saying.

Some had thought that the fight should have been ruled a no-contest, but the WBC decided otherwise. While the referee could have jumped in after the low blow, Mayol should have protected himself “at all times.”

Mayol went home with a 26-4-2 with 20 knockouts while Romero dips to 28-3-2 with 11 knockouts.

Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. knocked out Sonsona, dubbed as the future of Philippine boxing, in the fourth round in the fourth round at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon in Puerto Rico.

Sonsona, previously undefeated in 14 pro fights, jumped two weight divisions higher to fight Vasquez for the WBO super-bantamweight crown and ended up biting more than he can chew.

Vasquez is a legitimate super-bantamweight and it showed in his body, and his punches. He landed the heavier ones, and by the second round Sonsona had shown welts under his eyes.

In the fourth round, Sonsona did a Manny Pacquiao, leaning on the ropes and allowing himself to get hit. He took a big left to the body, a right straight to the face and another body blow.

The Filipino, who was sensational when he won the WBO super-flyweight crown last year in Canada, went down and never got up, kissing his bid for a second world title in different weight classes goodbye.

Vasquez, son of the great champion from Puerto Rico, celebrated after Sonsona was counted out. Later on, he got a hug from the Filipino fighter .

Vasquez improved to 18-0-1 while Sonsona slipped to 14-1-1.

Rubillar failed in his bid to win the IBO light-flyweight crown when he lost to South African Hekkoe Budler at the Emperors Casino, Kempton Park. Two judges had it for Budler, and the third round a tie.

Rubillar, a veteran with his 48-14-7 record, fought a gallant fight but fell short in his bid to impress the judges. Budler improved to 14-0.

Source: Abac Cordero  | Philstar.com

Rodel Mayol vs. Omar Nino Romero Ruled a Technical Draw

At the Coliseo Olimpico de la UG in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Omar Nino Romero (28-3, 11KOs) and Rodel Mayol (26-4, 20KOs) fought to a three round technical draw. Mayol keeps his WBC junior flyweight title.

The ending was very controversial and the announcers, at first, called Romero the winner by TKO.

Nino did well in the first round as the two boxed. In the second, Mayol was landing some heavy punches that put Nino in trouble. Nino began to throw back some big punches to send the crowd into a frenzy. They traded punches with Mayol getting the better of the action.

During the third, there was a weird situation where Mayol got hit with a low blow and the ref was coming in to pull Nino back during the finish. When Rodel got hit with the low blow, he dropped his hands in pain and Nino stepped on his foot and hit him with a left hook that knocked him out cold.

As Nino was throwing that hook, the ref was trying to pull him back to warn him for the low blow - or at least that's what the replay showed. A very controversial ending. Mayol was taken out on a stretcher.

Source: Mark Vester  | BoxingScene.com

Pinoy trio in world title bouts today

MANILA, Philippines - WBC lightflyweight champion Rodel Mayol stakes his crown against Omar Niño Romero while two other Filipinos, Marvin Sonsona and Juanito Rubillar Jr. bid for their own belts in three world title bouts in three countries this morning (Sunday time).

Unprecedented in ring history, the incidence of three Filipino fighters seeing action in championship matches in different countries on the same weekend is a testament to the global recognition of those following in Manny Pacquiao’s footsteps.

But it won’t be easy sailing for the Filipinos. They’re all fighting on hostile territory, yielding the homecourt advantage to their opponents.

Mayol, 28, is making the first defense of the 108-pound diadem he wrested from Edgar Sosa on a second round stoppage in Chiapas, Mexico, last November. And Pacquiao’s protégé from Mandaue is facing former champion Omar Nino Romero in Guadalajara.

Sosa suffered a triple fracture of the cheekbone in losing to Mayol and blamed a headbutt for the injury, causing a distraction that led to his knockout defeat. The controversial ending puts pressure on Romero to avenge Sosa’s setback.


Romero, 33, won the WBC crown on a decision over Brian Viloria in 2006 then was stripped of the title for testing positive for illegal drug use after battling to a majority draw with the Hawaiian Punch in a rematch. Romero was suspended a year and has come back with a bang, winning his last three outings, including a technical decision over Rubillar. Romero’s record is 28-3-1, with 11 KOs compared to 26-4-1, with 20 KOs, for Mayol.

WBC president Jose Sulaiman, a Mexican of Lebanese descent, has assured Mayol of fair scoring in the fight. The referee will be Vic Drakulich of Nevada with Stephen Blea, Nathan Palmer and Gary Ritter as judges.

At the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Sonsona attempts to bag his second world title at local favorite Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.’s expense. Both fighters are unbeaten and will dispute the vacant WBO superbantamweight crown.

Sonsona, 19, is making a jump from the superflyweight division after he was stripped of the 115-pound title at the weigh-in for his bout against Alejandro Hernandez in Ontario last November. Sonsona managed to preserve his unblemished record by holding Hernandez to a 12-round draw.

Vazquez Jr., 25, is coming off a seventh round knockout over Genaro Garcia and boasts a pedigree that is traced to his father Wilfredo Sr., a Puerto Rican legend who held the WBA bantamweight, superbantamweight and featherweight titles. Vazquez Jr. has a record of 17-0-1, with 14 KOs, while Sonsona’s card is 14-0-1, with 12 KOs.

In Sonsona’s corner will be interim WBA superflyweight champion Nonito Donaire’s father Dodong.

“This is a tough fight for Marvin,” said Donaire. “He’s moving up two weight classes so quickly without testing the waters and it’s in Vazquez’ hometown. But my dad is one of the best trainers in the business. I know what my dad can do. I’m confident Marvin can pull through. I’ve watched Vazquez fight and I saw weaknesses in his defense that Marvin will exploit. I wish Marvin and my dad all the best.”

Rubillar, 33, is in the twilight of a long career that began in 1994. He takes on Hekkie (The Hexecutioner) Budler, 20, for the vacant IBO lightflyweight crown at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa.

When Rubillar made his pro debut, Budler was only four years old. Budler’s record is 13-0, with five KOs, and 11 of his bouts were staged at the Emperor’s Palace, his happy hunting grounds.

Rubillar’s experience in compiling a 48-13-7 record, with 23 KOs, is an advantage and he can’t afford to waste this big break after losing in four attempts to win a world crown since 1999.

Rubillar is fresh from beating Jose Guadalupe Martinez by split decision in Tamaulipas, Mexico, for the WBC Continental Americas crown last November and will attempt to thwart Budler whose adviser is former WBO lightflyweight and flyweight champion Baby Jake Matlala, one of South Africa’s ring legends. Matlala fought from 1980 to 2002 and victimized two Filipinos, Ric Magramo and Pretty Boy Lucas, during his career.

If Rubillar defeats Budler, it will be sweet revenge as the Filipino lost to a South African, Zolani Petelo, in his first try for a world title in Cambridgeshire, England, in 1999. Petelo won by unanimous decision to retain his IBF minimumweight crown. Rubillar went on to lose three more title fights to Jorge Arce, Sosa and Giovanni Segura.

Source: Joaquin Henson  | Philstar.com

Edgar Sosa Warns Omar Nino: "Watch Mayol's Head"

Ahead of this Saturday's fight for the WBC junior flyweight title, former champion Edgar Sosa has warned Omar Nino to watch out for the intentional head clashes by the champion, Rodel Mayol.

Sosa lost his title to Mayol last November in two rounds. There was a bad clash of heads in the second round that split open the side of Sosa's face and sent him down. He never recovered and was stopped within a few moments.

Sosa needed surgery to repair several fractures on his face from the head clash. He is still recovering and plans to return to boxing very soon. He later filed a protest to overturn the TKO decision but lost.

Sosa wants Nino to bring the title back to Mexico.

"I wish him well. As a Mexican, I'd like for Nino to regain the title for Mexico, I hope he does," said Sosa to ESTO. "Mayol did not beat me and the whole world saw it on television. I felt disgust at the way they took the championship from me. If Mayol wins, I hope he does it in an honest and clean way"

"[Nino] has to always stay at a distance and keep moving, side to side, which he's good at. Do not enter from the front so Mayol's head can not hurt you. Mayol has a history of hurting a lot of opponents with his head, like [Ivan] Calderon, who was cut in two fights on his head, and they could not have been accidental. He has a history of being a dirty fighter."

Source: Mark Vester  | BoxingScene.com

Mayol concerned about judging in title defense

WBC light flyweight champion Rodel Mayol is concerned about the judging in his first title defense against Omar Nino Romero of Mexico on Sunday, Manila Time in the Coliseo Olimpico of the University of Guadalajara, Mexico.

Mayol who won the title with a stunning second round TKO over highly-favored Edgar Sosa of Mexico last November left Los Angeles for Guadalajara last Sunday after he met with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and adviser Michael Koncz and expressed his concern over the judging.

Pacquiao and Koncz handle the career of Mayol and Koncz told us he may fly to Mexico on Friday night to be at the venue.

Koncz said he told Pacquiao “I think I should go because if nobody is there they think we don’t care and they might cheat Mayol out of his belt.”

Mayol who has a record of 26-4-1 with 20 knockouts is a hard puncher at his weight while Omar Nino Romero who has a record of 28-3-1 with 20 knockouts and earned the nickname “Giant Killer” after he won the light flyweight title from Brian Viloria in October 2006 is not a heavy puncher but is a plodder with a somewhat awkward style.

In a rematch which ended in what was considered a controversial draw, the Mexican retained his title but in a post-fight medical by the Nevada State Athletic Commission Omar Nino Romero tested positive for a banned substance, the fight was declared a “no decision” and he was suspended for one year.

Since his return the Mexican has beaten among others, Filipino veteran Juanito Rubillar in a title eliminator and faces Mayol in a mandatory.

There were initial problems over staging the fight as Pacquiao and Koncz wanted Mayol to defend his title on “The Event” headlined by the Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight or to headline another card on March 12, the eve of the Pacquiao-Clottey showdown.

But the WBC insisted that the handlers of Mayol comply with the two options in the fight contract with promoter Faustus Daniel Garcia that enabled Mayol to get a crack at Edgar Sosa’s title and they decided to comply.

Although Don Jose Sulaiman upheld the victory of Mayol over Sosa despite protests that the head-butt on Sosa which fractured his cheekbone and forced him out of action for several months contributed to Sosa’s loss, the promoters claimed that Mayol won the title “in a controversial fight and now another Mexican will have an opportunity to re-conquer it.”

The Mexicans also insisted that the NSAC findings and the suspension of Omar Nino Romero after the Viloria rematch was “unjust” creating some concern in the Filipino’s camp.

The challenger himself said “my objective is to return to be champion of the world ” claiming that he “lost the belt on the table after I overcame Brian Viloria by an assumption of doping and now I have the opportunity of being world champion.”The mandatory challenger said Mayol "is a hard puncher, is fast and throws a lot of blows" but that he had prepared himself to “neutralize it with lateral movements and consistent punching.”

Source: Ronnie Nathanielsz  | PhilBoxing

WBC Puts Pressure on Rodel Mayol To Fight Omar Nino

The World Boxing Council has informed us that should newly crowned WBC light flyweight champion Rodel Mayol want to fight on the planned Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr undercard or on the next card headlined by Pacquiao, the Filipino “must fight Omar Nino” the No.1 mandatory opponent.

WBC secretary general Mauricio Sulaiman disclosed that Mayol had signed two options with Dr. Fausto Garcia, the promoter of former champion Sosa and must face Nino next since “the WBC made Omar Nino wait to give Mayol a chance at the request of Manny Pacquiao.”

Dr. Garcia had a January 30 date and both the venue and a TV station for Mayol’s first title defense against Nino but Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz who together with Pacquiao handles Mayol said it was “too soon” after his November 29 bout with Sosa and the Christmas celebrations in the Philippines.

Sulaiman told us they must inform the promoter and the WBC when Mayol would be ready to fight Omar Nino in Mexico which is the site chosen by the promoter.

Sulaiman made it clear that if Mayol wants to fight on the Pacquiao undercard they must either fight Nino or “reach an agreement with Nino to step aside. But most importantly they must reach an agreement with Sosa’s promoter as he is the owner of the next two fights of Mayol.” Mayol won the title with a stunning second round TKO over the highly fancied Sosa who was making his ninth title defense.

Mayol seeks spot in Pacquiao-Mayweather megabout

If he would have his way, WBC light-flyweight champion Rodel Mayol wants a spot in the undercard of the March 13 megafight of his promoter, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

In his native Mandaue for the holidays, the LA-based titlist said he dreams of seeing action underneath Pacquiao-Mayweather in a unification fight with WBA 108-lb titleholder Giovanni Segura.

If this is not possible, the 28-year-old Mayol said he envisions to make his first defense of the belt he won last month via a second round TKO of long-time champ Edgar Sosa of Mexico.

“They told me I would be defending against Omar Nino Romero. I would like to defend my title here in Cebu," Mayol, who fights under the alias “Batang Mandaue," was quoted by PhilBoxing.com as saying in a recent radio interview in Cebu.

“But my dream fight would be a unification match against WBA champ Giovanni Segura in the undercard of Pacquiao-Mayweather," he added.

Viloria fight?

Mayol, though, is not that hot on going after the IBF light-flyweight title as it is held by a compatriot in Brian Viloria.

“I don’t really think it’s a good idea, considering that he is also a Filipino and we have few world title belts. But if the fans want to see that fight, why not?" he said.

Mayol and Viloria, like Pacquiao, belong to a short list of Filipino boxing champions. In their company are WBA interim super flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr., WBO minimumweight boss Donnie Nietes and IBA and WBO female super-bantamweight champ Ana Julaton.

Before being a world champion, Mayol, a fighter belonging to Pacquiao's MP Promotions stable, endured years of frustration.

He lost to WBC minimumweight king Eagle Den Junlaphan via decision in his first crack in 2006 then got knocked out by IBF light-flyweight holder Ulises Solis in 2007 and had two futile bids against WBO kingpin Ivan Calderon, who escaped with a sixth-round split technical draw last June and a seventh-round split technical decision last September.