Date with Destiny for WBC-Int'l Champion Mangubat
By Dennis Principe
05.06 - World Boxing Council (WBC) International Flyweight champion Randy “The Destroyer” Mangubat believes that it will be a date with destiny once he climbs up the ring tomorrow and start his bid to be the country’s next world champion.
The 27-year old Mangubat wrapped-up his preparations for his long-delayed crack at the world crown by sparring with bigger and quality opponents led by WBC International bantamweight king Roger Galicia and one-time WBO bantamweight challenger Joven Jorda.
Mangubat, who arrived in Thailand last Saturday, is set to vie for the regular WBC crown versus defending Thai champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam tomorrow at the Samiha Bay in Songkla, Thailand.
Mangubat said that hardwork and desire is not enough for a boxer to become a world champion.
“Only destiny can tell if a boxer can be a world champion. After all the trials I’ve gone through, I guess it’s my destiny to become a world champion.” declared Mangubat in an overseas interview.
Mangubat added that the trend is also working in his favor since current IBF world superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao shockingly captured the WBC flyweight crown from hometown hero Chatchai Sasakul.
In 1998, a then up-and-coming Pacquiao conquered Bangkok and overcame great odds to beat the highly-favored Sasakul for the crown via a sensational 8th round TKO.
Pacquiao lost the title a year later to another Thai, Medgoen Singsurat by 3rd round KO.
In 2000, another Filipino underdog, Malcolm Tuñacao snatched the WBC crown from Singsurat by 7th round TKO.
After one successful defense, Tuñacao lost the belt to Wonjongkam on March 2, 2001.
Since then, Wonjongkam has repulsed six challengers. Though Wonkongkam defeated Mangubat twice early in their respective careers, the Davao-native beakbuster will be the Thai’s first Filipino title challenger.
“Since Pacquiao’s time, it’s been a give-and-take situation for the title between the Philippines and Thailand. Now that the score is 2-2, I think the trend will show that I should win this fight.” Exuded Mangubat.
