Pete Apolinar. | Facebook Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Pete “Thunder” Apolinar’s positive mindset keeps him optimistic and determined to bounce back from his loss to Korean Jong Seon Kang in Korea last year.
“Ganito talaga sa larangan ng boxing. May panahon ng panalo at pagkatalo na kailangan tanggapon pa rin in a positive way. Every fight is a learning experience whether you win or you lose,” said Apolinar.
(It’s really like this in boxing. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose and we have to accept it in a positive way.)
The 26-year-old Apolinar of the Omega Boxing Gym lost via an eighth-round technical knockout to Kang last November 2021 for the WBO Oriental featherweight title.
“Hindi naman ako na discourage sa pagkatalo kasi pinaghandaan naman namin lahat iyon at pinaghirapan. Di lang po siguro sumang-ayon ang pagkakataon at panahon. Sinabi ko lang po sa sarili ko na di pa ito ang huli at marami pang pagkakataon,” he said.
(I wasn’t discouraged with the loss because we prepared hard for that fight. It wasn’t just our time. I just told myself that this isn’t the end and there’ll be more chances in the future.)
He gets one of the many chances this Saturday, April 2, 2022, when he faces an equally determined opponent in Jhunriel Ramonal for the vacant Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super bantamweight title.
The fight will be held at the Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex in Parañaque City.
With a brand new opportunity given to him, Apolinar vows to do better in winning the OPBF title.
On paper, Apolinar, who is from San Pablo, Laguna, is still a dangerous boxer to face in the ring. He has a record of 15 wins, nine via knockouts, and only lost twice.
Prior to his loss to Kang, Apolinar was on an impressive 10-fight winning streak from 2015 to 2021, winning the OPBF silver featherweight title in the process.
This time, Apolinar tries his luck in the lighter, super bantamweight division against the older Ramonal.
The 32-year-old Ramonal, who also hails from Laguna, has a record of 17-9-6 (win-loss-draw) with 10 knockout wins.
Ramonal is far more experienced than Apolinar for having fought in Mexico and Japan before.
Like Apolinar, Ramonal is eyeing to bounce back from his loss in July last year. He lost to Landy Cris Leon via a technical decision in a fight held in Urdaneta City.
But Apolinar said he will be ready come fight night on Saturday.
“Gusto ko lang ipakita ang best ko sa araw ng laban. Nothing more, nothing less,” he said.
(I just want to give my best on the day of the fight.)
/bmjo
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