22.10.08 – by James Slater – Former WBO super-bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon of Mexico makes his ring return this November 1st in his homeland. Last seen being blown away inside a round by future superstar Juan Manuel Lopez, the 28-year-old southpaw will be anxious to get back on the wining track..
Facing Argentina’s 29-year-old Damian David Marchiano in a scheduled ten-rounder in Chihuahua, de Leon will be in with a guy who has lost three of his last four bouts. Despite his non-too awesome-looking record, however, it should be remembered that Marchiano has almost always been in with very good competition. Abner Mares out-pointed him (down at bantamweight), as did Bernard Dunne in his last fight in July; whereas Silence Mabuza, in an IBO title fight at 118-pounds, stopped the 29-year-old in 5-rounds back in May of this year.
Marchiano is not often stopped though. In a career that has seem him compile a record of 15-5-1(5), the fighter known as “El Resorte” has only lost inside the scheduled distance on two occasions – the other, 1st-round, KO loss coming in a fight against Jose Luis Ferreira in 2006. All in all then, Marchiano is a fair comeback opponent for the man who was shocked by “Juanma” back in June.
Needing very much not only to win but to do so in a manner that restores his confidence – a quick KO would do the trick very nicely – de Leon may well get what he needs on November 1st. But what then? Can the big-punching but somewhat vulnerable Mexican slugger become a world champion once again? True, the Lopez disaster marked the one and only time in his pro career that de Leon has been stopped, but a number of fans said they saw the KO defeat he suffered coming a mile off. de Leon doesn’t have the best of chins or a defence that could in any way be referred to as watertight, that’s for sure.
Assuming he does get past Marchiano next month, it is likely de Leon will wind up landing another big fight somewhere down the road. And, due to his withering punching power, the man who ruled as WBO 122-pound king from October of 2005 until he ran into Lopez has a puncher’s chance against just about anyone. The problem is, the super-bantamweight division of today is a very competitive one. Israel Vazquez, Celestino Caballero (who already has a clear points win over the Mexican) and Steve Molitor all look like they would be too much for de Leon, at least judging by his last showing. And a revenge win over Lopez? Forget it!
It’s going to be one tough climb for de Leon if he’s going to reach the top of his sport once again. Phase one of his attempt takes place in just over a week’s time.