Reigning UBO bantaweight champion Nick Otieno is set to leave Kenya to destroy Gorres for the upcoming boxing event, dubbed “One More Time,” at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino on May 31.“I am making my first trip to Cebu to pickup a vital victory. We Kenyans are known for running in athletics, but I am gocming there to make someone run from my punches. That man is Gorres,” Otieno was quoted saying by Kenyan correspondent Edward Sande..
Nick Otieno got recently nicknamed “AK 47” in Kenya for his rapid punches and “Black Sugar” by Russian fans for his impressive fight against Eduardo Garcia for the IBF international bantamweight title in February.
Otieno explained that he had been waiting for a chance to breakthrough the African boxing and into the international arena. And winning over Gorres in a fair and legitimate contest would showcase to the world what he can bring to the ring.
“I have my sights on a title. I missed out on the IBF bantamweight in Russia, and because I stopped Gorres’ original oppoent for the cancelled IBF title…Gorres can expect to get the same treatment from me that African Boxing Union champion Francis Miyeyusho got on Apr 15th,” Otieno said. His performance in Russia garnered him accolades both from the Russians and the Kenyans.
Boxing in Kenya is fueled by corporate and military establishments. The Army, the Police, and the Prisons hord the best boxers in the land in their bids to fill their offices with medals. So that as early as 15 years old, the military recruits new talents with a promise of assured employment. By the age 30, the contract stops.
Otieno is a bit of a “late bloomer,” wrote Sande. He turned pro at an unusually advanced age of 31 during which many professional boxers already opted to retire. His professional record shows a warrior who can stand the heat of a full-rounded game. Interestingly, beginning last year, his punching power improved as he cloked in more TKOs in a year’s time. It seems that life begins at 31 for Nick Otieno.
Meanwhile, reigning IBF intercontinental superfly boss Z “The Dream” Gorres has not issued a reply on Otieno’s latest challenge. But ALA Boxing chief trainer Edito Villamor said that Gorres is patiently building his arsenal to ensure that he will not embarrass Cebuanos come May 31.
The 2007 loss to WBO superfly defending champion Fernando Montiel and the controversial draw decision in February in his fight with Vic “The Bull” Darchinyan put a concerned question in the minds of Filipinos on Gorres’ ability to make it to a world champion title convincingly.
In Aug last year, Gorres dropped Eric Ortiz in 8th round, his 15th KO work in his professional career. His experience gives him an edge over and a good change to take down Otieno. But Otieno may have faced hardier warriors that Gorres may have not have even faced yet in his entire career.
And that’s where the excitement is? Could Gorres sustain a round-to-round punchworks against Otieno? Who goes down first? Who kneels to their knees? That’s worth waiting for in a week’s time.
“I now know that if I do not knock my opponents out cold,” Otieno assured boxing fans around the world who will see the fight, “in those instances, I had better deliver a one-sided beat down, leaving no room for the score cards to doubt who fought well.” .
Tickets are available in ALA Gym BTC (4162011), Islands Souvenirs Ayala (2312581) and SM City Cebu (2321906), and Bisaya Ispisyal Ayala (2312376) and SM City Cebu (2320610). More tickets will be available at the Waterfront lobby on May 21. Get your tickets while supply lasts.