KO artist Araneta resurfaces next month

World-rated light-flyweight Christian Araneta is poised for a much-awaited return on 30 November at the Hoops Dome in Lapu Lapu, Mactan Island, Cebu.

A crack foreign foe is being eyed to test the mettle of Araneta, who is rated No. 1 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

He is also ranked No. 11 by the World Boxing Council, No. 6 by the World Boxing Association and No. 10 by the World Boxing Organization.

Based in Cebu, Araneta holds a 24-2-0 record with 19 knockouts and hasn’t fought since knocking out Arvin Magramo in one round at Nustar Resort and Casino in the Queen City of the South in what was billed as a title eliminator.

The reigning IBF 108-lb champion is Masamichi Yabuki of Japan, who parades a 17-4-0 card with 16 knockouts.

A professional the last 11 years, Araneta, nicknamed “The Bomb,” is a southpaw and fights out of Omega Boxing.

His two losses came during world titles fights.

Against Daniel Valladares of Mxico at Arena Jose Sulaiman in Monterrey, Mexico, Araneta retired at the end of the fourth frame after sustaining a right shoulder injury.

Two years later against Sivenathi Nontshinga of South Africa, with the IBF belt on the line, he dropped a 12-round unanimous decision.

While he is already the mandatory challenger to Yabuki’s title, a date hasn’t been set for Araneta’s third shot at a world championship.

But Manny Pacquiao Presents: Blow-By-Blow is coming to his rescue by staging his November bout.

Currently, the Philippines has two reigning world champions in Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran, both fighting in the minimumweight class.

The Cebu-based Jerusalem, originally from Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, is the WBC titleholder while Taduran, a native of Libon, Bicol, is the IBF titlist.