HOLLYWOOD, FL, November 25 – Last Friday night before a sellout crowd, it only took WBA super bantamweight champion Celestino Caballero four rounds to destroy previously unbeaten hometown favorite Steve Molitor, and to add the Canadian’s IBF 122-pound championship belt to his collection. Now “Pelenchin” wants to see which of the remaining top guns in the division are willing to step into the ring with him..
“Israel Vazquez, Juan Manuel Lopez, and Rafael Marquez are the ones I want to fight,” said Caballero. “I don’t care what order they come in, but I won’t stop calling for them until they step up and prove themselves to be the warriors they say they are.”
Winner of 8 consecutive WBA sanctioned world title fights, Panama City’s Caballero did his country and its greatest fighter, Roberto Duran, proud at Casino Rama in Ontario as he took control from the opening bell and walked through the highly-regarded Molitor. It was Caballero’s sixth defense of the title he won from Somsak Sithchatchawal in Thailand in 2006, and while he gives Molitor credit for being the only champion willing to unify with him, he’s not satisfied with two of the four major belts.
“Molitor was the only one to believe in himself enough to step up and fight me, and I respect him a lot for that,” said Caballero. “What I don’t respect are fighters who hide behind their promoters and don’t give the fans the fights they deserve to see. I’ve defended my title many times, and I always come to fight, not to dance or hug. I’m making it known to Vazquez, Lopez, and Marquez that all it takes to make a fight with me is a call to my promoters.”
Caballero is now 31-2, with 22 KOs, and has won both the WBA and IBF titles in the opposing champion’s home countries. Vazquez currently holds the WBC version of the 122-pound title and Lopez holds the WBO version. Marquez, the former WBC champion, is the leading contender for both crowns. Caballero and his managerial and promotional team are open to all offers for fights with any of the aforementioned trio, and has current history has attested, is willing to travel to enemy territory to participate in these fights.
“I knew when I began working with Pelenchin, that he was special, and we would have a great super champion”, said super agent Sampson Lewkowicz, who was instrumental in helping Caballero’s career reach its current level.
“In an era where world-class fighters run away from unification bouts, Celestino is running to unify, and he should be commended for such a stance,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “Then again, I’m not surprised that the other belt-holders don’t want to fight the biggest, strongest, and best 122-pounder in the world – Celestino Caballero. I welcome the representatives of Vazquez, Lopez, and Marquez, to help us unify the title, and give the fans the fights they want to see.”