Strike Three

It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for Filipino fighter Jayson “Striker” Vayson, who challenges a Puerto Rican rising star on 20 September in Indio, California.

Not only is Vayson going after one world title belt in their scheduled 12-rounder at the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino.

The Agusan del Sur native is actually gunning for three championships when he faces Oscar Collazo, holder of the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization minumumweight straps as well as The Ring magazine title.

“This is a golden chance,” Vayson, said from his training headquarters at the Highlands Boxing Gym in Baguio City.

“I know that God’s going to give this to me,” added the 27-year-old Filipino puncher.

Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions is staging the fight that is intended to further showcase the talent and drawing power of Collazo, who is one of GBP’s premier talents.

“We will enter the ring very prepared, with a lot of boxing IQ,” said Collazo, who counts Filipinos Melvin Jerusalem, Garren Diagan and Vic Saludar as victims.

The 28-year-old Collazo packs a 12-0 slate with nine knockouts and is promoted by Miguel Cotto, the Puerto Rican great who once lost to Manny Pacquiao.

“We know Vayson is a great fighter and that he will be hungry to dethrone me, but he won’t be able to, because I have worked hard to defend what is mine and represent my island with pride,” Collazo said.

Having destroyed five of his last six rivals, Collazo dreams of becoming the undisputed champion in the 105-pound class.

The two other titleholders are Jerusalem (World Boxing Council) and Pedro Taduran (International Boxing Federation).

But Vayson is the type of guy who ruin that plan and eventually join Jerusalem and Taduran at the helm.

Holding a 14-1-1 mark with eight knockouts, Vayson, nicknamed “Striker,” knows what it takes to score a rousing victory.

The well-connected fight figure Brico Santig, who promotes Vayson feels posting an upset is not a remote possibility.

“He’s been training the last three months and he is very much capable of beating Collazo,” said the Bangkok-based Santig.

Since Vayson has never fought in the United States, Santig is going to send his fighter to America way ahead of the scheduled bout.

“We know what jet lag can do to a fighter so I will send Jayson and his trainer Alan Alegria and Jayr Raquinel to Los Angeles to serve as his sparring partner early,” Santig said, aware of the ill effects of arriving too late.

Vayson, Alegria and Raquinel have valid US documents, Santig said, allowing them to set up camp on America soil early.