Weighty issue

Jayson “Striker” Vayson admits it’s going to be a herculean task dethroning Puerto Rican star and three-belt champion Oscar Collazo next month at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California.

For one, Vayson swears going down to minimumweight (105 pounds) could pose an immense challenge since he has been fighting at light-flyweight (108 pounds) since 2018. One time, he even fought at flyweight (112 pounds).

The southpaw Collazo holds the World Boxing Organization (WBO), World Boxing Association (WBA) and The Ring magazine belts and these will be on the line against Vayson on 20 September.

“Yes, making 105 pounds is a concern since I haven’t fought as a 105-pounder in seven years,” said the 27-year-old from Agusan del Sur.

“I am definitely going to feel squeezed out (making 105) but we are working on this,” he added.

Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) is showcasing Collazo as the Los Angeles-based company’s top talent as he makes another defense of the unified titles as well as the Ring magazine strap.

Vayson, 27, has a 14-1-1 win-loss-draw record with eight knockouts.

Collazo, 28, holds a 12-0-0 card with nine knockouts.

He had become unified champion last November when he stopped Thailand’s Thammanoon Niyomtrong (also known as Knockout CP Freshmart) in the seventh stanza in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“He’s (Collazo) really good,” Vayson said from his training headquarters in Baguio City where he spars thrice a week under the watchful eyes of veteran trainer Allan Alegria.

Another factor that kind of bothers Vayson is jet lag.

“I want to arrive there (in the US) way ahead of schedule because jet lag is hard to deal with,” he said.

Vayson is aware of what had happened to Melvin Jerusalem when he fought and surrendered the WBO crown to Collazo in 2023 also in Indio, California.

Jerusalem arrived in America nine days before the fight and being sleep-deprived, he quit on his stool in the seventh round, making Collazo the winner by stoppage.

Brico Santig, who runs the affairs of Vayson, insists his fighter, his trainer and sparmate, are not going to travel to the US at the last minute.

Since they already have their travel documents in place, Santig said setting up camp in Los Angeles early is the priority.

Indio is about a two-hour and ten-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles.

“When they get there in LA, we will have them train at Wild Card (in Hollywood) or some other gym in the area,” said the Bangkok-based Santig.

“For sure, I won’t send them there less than two weeks before the fight,” he added.