Three boxers from Cebu face uphill battle abroad

Tough assignments await three Cebu-based boxers from Naris Singwangcha Promotions as they take on separate unbeaten Russian opponents.

Making the assignments tougher is that the fights slated this month will be held in enemy’s territory.

The 28-year-old Adones Aguelo (27W-14L-2D-19KOs) will face Pavel Malikov (9W-0L-0D-3KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Asian lightweight on Dec. 17 in Yekatinburg, Russia. Fighting in the same card is 26-year-old Marco Demecillo (22W-5L-1D-17KOs), who will take on Valery Tretyalov (7W-0L-0D-3KOs) in an eight-rounds non-title duel.

This Saturday, 22-year-old Neil John Tabanao (13W-2L-0D-9KOs), will try his luck against Evgeny Smimov (7W-0L-0D-2KOs) in an eight-round non-title showdown in Moscow.

Accompanied by their veteran boxing trainer Brix Flores and co-trainers Fernando Ocon, Benedicto Abella and Ryan Salud, the three had already left for Russia.

Tabanao had just lost his WBO Oriental featherweight title to Ghana’s Isaac Dogboe in the latter’s turf last August via unanimous decision loss.

Flores admitted that although his wards are used to fighting abroad, the upcoming fights are going to be tough.

“You have to knock out your opponent in order for you to win, or if not, you will surely lose the fight; but I have faith in my boxers. I told them to stay focused and give everything they got,” said Flores.

Though odds are stacked against them, Flores said his wards won’t give up easily.

“My boxers will give them very entertaining fights,” said Flores, who is the trainer of reigning WBO World bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales.