Julaton stakes pride, WBO belt vs Alcanter

Filipino-American boxing champion Ana "The Hurricane" Julaton stakes Philippine pride when she defends her World Boxing Organization (WBO) female super-bantamweight belt on Friday (Saturday in Manila) against dangerous Franchesca Alcanter of the U.S. The 10-round title bout will be held at the Craneway Pavilion Point Richmond in California. It will be the 30-year-old Julaton's first title defense after winning the vacant WBO 122-lb title last year with a hard-earned split decision win over tough Mexican Maria Elena Villalobos. Julaton and Alcanter both made the 122-lb bantamweight limit in the official weigh-in at the Mink Lounge in San Francisco. Julaton tipped the scales at 116.5, while Alcanter, who previously campaigned as a featherweight, came in at 118. Julaton, whose parents are from Pozzorubio, Pangasinan, is one of four reigning Filipino world boxing champions, together with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao (WBO welterweight), Nonito Donaire Jr. (WBO and World Boxing Council bantamweight), and Donnie Nietes (WBO minimumweight). A victory by the charming Filipina against the 37-year-old Alcanter will put her in line for a possible title match in Manila. Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach helped Julaton get into her best shape, where she sparred for close to 100 rounds at the famed Wild Card gym and the L.A. boxing gym. Based in Daly City, California, Julaton is a three-time world champion sporting a ring record of 7-2-1 win-loss-draw. "I'm ready to go and show the fans a hell of a good fight," said Julaton on the eve of the match. But Alcanter vows to dethrone the champion in her fifth attempt for a world title. Although idle for almost two years, the challenger from Kansas City is a seasoned fighter who boasts an 18-9-1 record, including nine knockouts. Alcanter, 37, also happens to come from a family of boxers. Her grandfather Joey "The Bombarding Mexican" Alcanter fought as a lightweight from 1933 to 1948, while her uncle and Joey’s brother, Pete and Baby Louis Alcanter, also boxed in the 1930s. She fought for a world title four times in the past, but lost on all four attempts, the last of which came in 2009 with a 10-round decision at the hands of reigning WBC featherweight champion Ina Menzer in Bremen, Germany. The fight with Menzer was her last prior to challenging Julaton. But Alcanter, known as "The Chosen One," said she feels good about the fight, stressing, "I'm ready to bring that belt home and do whatever it takes to win that fight. I'm going to fight my heart out." – JVP, KY, GMA News