12.12.06 – Ricardo Lois, BoxingConfidential.com: Los Angeles — For about a year and half now, I have been telling anyone willing to listen that super bantamweight Celestino Caballero is one of the most dangerously underrated boxers in the World. Caballero, co-promoted by Sycuan Ringside and Warrior Promotions, carries some good pop in his punches and is tall enough to give any super bantamweight fits..
The managers of some of the best fighters at 122 pounds also recognize Caballero as a dangerous proposition and seem to be turning their fighter’s back to the Panamanian.
One anonymous manager told me, “This kid [Caballero] is a freak of nature. He is so damn tall for being 122, he is kind of like a super bantamweight Thomas Hearns. I think you will not see any of the big names get into the ring with him. He is dangerous and provides very little upside as an opponent.”
I can understand our mystery manager’s high-level of caution. Caballero has NO brand name recognition in the main stream boxing market. If a higher profile fighter like Rafael Marquez or Daniel Ponce De Leon beats Caballero, they are not adding any strength to their records in the general public eyes.
If they lost, it could mean a trip straight to boxing’s off-television purgatory.
A bout between Marquez, managed by Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain and promoted by Gary
Shaw, and Caballero has been rumored for several weeks in the Latin American press. When Gary was contacted via e-mail, he informed Boxing Confidential that nothing has been agreed to between the two fighters, but he would be interested in making the fight.
Of course, one had to wonder if Marquez’s veto happy manager Beristain would nix a Shaw maneuvered deal. Nacho is many things, but he is not stupid when it comes to analyzing fighter’s abilities and he might want to stay away from a high-risk, low-upside opponent in Marquez’s first fight coming up from bantamweight.
Omar De La Cruz, of Boxeo Mundial, makes mention of some hesitation by Rafael Marquez’s team to fight Caballero. The piece by De La Cruz states the Caballero’s manager Rogelio Espiño has contacted Marquez’s team, but they are not interested in fighting Caballero. Nacho Beristain was not available for contact when called at his Mexico City home by Boxing Confidential.
How about Daniel Ponce De Leon, whose only loss comes at the hands of Caballero?
After De Leon’s victory against Al Seeger on HBO Pay Per View, Caballero was seen inside the ring, to offer De Leon a rematch. Of course De Leon was game to the idea of avenging his only defeat, but that same week, De Leon’s camp was quoted in several Latino news outlets as stating that Caballero was not financially feasible, as the Panamanian’s name was not big enough.
Now, De Leon is scheduled to fight Filipino up and comer Rey Bautista. It might be mentioned that Bautista is now walk in the park and the bout is scheduled to take place in the Phillipines during early 2007. That speaks wonders in itself. De Leon’s team would rather send their fighter outside of the country, to fight a tough opponent in his back yard, than face Celestino a second time.
The actions and comments of the principal figures at 122 pounds point to one truth; Celestino Caballero has to be considered the best in their division.