Dapudong targets another upset win in Mexico

When Edrin Dapudong received word that he would be facing World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight champion Hernan "Tyson" Marquez on July 2 on just two weeks notice, it must have felt like Déjà vu. In Just last year, Dapudong was called up on two week's notice to face southpaw Jesus Jimenez for the World Boxing Council (WBC) silver flyweight title in Nayarit, Mexico. Dapudong, about two minutes into the first round, floored his opponent with a short left hook on Jimenez's chin following a decoy right cross. Jimenez rose to his feet but was quickly met by Dapudong's flurry of punches with a right hand body blow putting the Mexican back on the canvas, this time for good. The 24-year-old Dapudong (22-3, 13 knockouts) of North Cotabato, Philippines is hoping for a similar outcome as he faces Marquez – also a southpaw – in his first crack at a world title at the Centro de Usos Multiples in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The fight will be televised by TV Azteca in Mexico. Dapudong's reign as the WBC silver flyweight titlist (which is a lesser version of a world title) didn't last long as he was beaten by unanimous decision by Wilbert Uicab in Mexico on September 17, 2010. Dapudong has won two fights since then, including a four-round TKO of Indonesia's Benja Loemoli just on June 11 in Cebu. His most recent performance impressed his manager and former North Cotabato Vice-Governor Manny Pinol enough to take the risk of allowing Dapudong to fight on short notice. "Based on his last performance against the Indonesian, I feel Edrin has matured as a fighter," Pinol said. ALA Promotions president Michael Aldegeur, which handles Dapudong, recently told the Cebu Sun Star's Edri Aznar that "opportunities like this should not be passed up if the fighter is experienced like Dapudong." Aldeguer even compared the opportunity to the one where Manny Pacquiao won his second world title as a late replacement against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba. Back in 2001, Pacquiao, then an unknown in America, took advantage of the invitation by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight champ Ledwaba to replace an injured Enrique Sanchez. Pacquiao dominated and stopped Ledwaba in six rounds, starting his career as a must-see young champion. The 22-year-old Marquez, whose record of 30-2 (23 KOs) was built early on in his home country of Mexico, hasn't fared well in his two trips outside of his backyard prior to stopping Luis Concepcion in Panama for the title in April. Last year, Marquez lost to a pair of Pinoys – Sarangani's Richie Mepranum and Nonito Donaire, consecutively – in Texas and Puerto Rico, respectively. But Marquez rebounded with two wins following the Donaire loss before getting a crack at Concepcion and stopping him in 11 exciting rounds. The manner which Marquez aggressively engaged his most recent opponent has Pinol excited for a possible brawl, which he believes benefits his fighter. "Edrin has a good chance against Hernan Marquez," Pinol stated confidently. "I viewed Marquez's fight with Luis Concepcion and found out that he likes to bang with his opponent. If this is the same fighting style he will use against Edrin, he will have his hands full." In Marquez's only two losses, he was outboxed by taller, quicker opponents who caught him coming forward aggressively. Dapudong isn't the kind of fighter to employ such a strategy, however. Pinol did voice some concerns about properly acclimatizing to Mexico and its time difference. He said they will arrive there on June 26 – five days ahead of the fight – to get used to the surroundings. Still, Pinol was confident that his fighter could pull off another upset South of the Border. "A well-conditioned Edrin – like the one who knocked out [Bert] Batawang [in 2009] and the Indonesian in his last fight – will knock out Marquez." – JVP, GMA News Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and contributes to GMA News and the Filipino Reporter newspaper in New York City. He can be reached at ryan@ryansongalia.com. An archive of his work can be found at www.ryansongalia.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ryansongalia.