BOXING

Sacrificial lamb?: Fajardo enters IBF clash as underdog

Nick Giongco··2 MIN READ

MIEL Fajardo faces tremendous odds when he shoots for the IBF flyweight title next month in Tokyo.

MIEL Fajardo faces tremendous odds when he shoots for the IBF flyweight title next month in Tokyo.

Photograph courtesy of RCT Boxing Promotions

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It doesn’t look as if Miel Fajardo has a big chance of dethroning three-time world champion Masamichi Yabuki and becoming the new International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight king next month in Japan.

Based on the betting odds, Yabuki is listed as -550 ($550 wins $100) and Fajardo as +360 ($100 wins $360).

The fight — which will mark Yabuki’s third defense of the IBF 112-pound crown — takes place on 26 November at the 4,100-capacity Ebara Wave Arena in Tokyo.

Yabuki, 34, who holds a 20-4-0 win-loss-draw card with 18 knockouts, has stopped six of his last seven opponents.

Fajardo, eight years younger, packs a 14-3-2 mark with 12 knockouts, including seven in the first round.

The Agusan del Sur native secured a shot at Yabuki after becoming the mandatory challenger last April in Argentina when he knocked out Tobias Reyes in front of a stunned crowd in only 65 seconds.

But it was only last July when the IBF issued an order for Yabuki to defend against the Filipino.

Yabuki, who left Kameda Promotions for Ohashi Promotions a couple of months ago, had to go 12 rounds to beat Mexican Rene Calixto last June in Nagoya.

The Yabuki-Fajardo clash is one of two world title fights on tap.

The other one also features a Japan vs Philippines theme.

In the main supporting match, World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight champion Takeshi Ishii faces No. 10 rated Zyvyr Medecilo, a stablemate of Fajardo.

Medecilo, hailing from Koronadal, South Cotabato, enters the bout with a 9-0-0 mark with five knockouts.

Ishii, who had snatched the WBA 105-pound plum by knocking out Puerto Rican Wilfredo Mendez last September, parades a 12-1-0 slate with nine knockouts.

Like Fajardo, Medecilo is also a heavy underdog.

And like Fajardo, Medecilo is determined to score a huge upset.

The two fighters are set to travel to Japan one month from now accompanied by their Hong Kong-based chief handler Lennon Tsoi.

“It’s going to be tough but I am very excited to see them perform,” said Tsoi, who is being assisted in his dealings with Japan’s big-time promoters by American Sean Gibbons.