Up-and-comer to share RP spotlight with Pacquiao in Dream Match

MANILA, Philippines – Richie Mepranum hopes to share the boxing spotlight with fellow Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao when the pride of Maasim town in Saranggani defends his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental flyweight title against Cesar Lopez on Sunday (Saturday, US time).

Mepranum, who tipped the scales at 113 lbs in the final weigh-in Friday, will be the lone Filipino boxer besides Pacquiao that will be climbing the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, QTV reported Friday.

The Mepranum-Lopez fight is one of the eight undercard matches lined up prior to the Pacquiao-de la Hoya main event.

This will be Mepranum’s first shot to international fame as he goes up against the El Paso, Texas-native Lopez, who weighed in at 114lbs, in a scheduled eight-round fight.

Mepranum, also a lethal lefty, said he imitates Pacquiao’s style inside the ring. “I likened my style to Manny (Pacquiao). I go in, out and in, out," he said in Filipino.

“I am very excited with this fight since this will be my first visit to Las Vegas. I will do my best," said Mepranum, who is also a southpaw like Pacquiao.

But aside from aiming to beat Lopez, Mepranum’s biggest challenge is to win the hearts of boxing-loving Filipinos who will be watching him fight around the world.

He started boxing as a teenager and at age 14, with his blitzing hands and fancy footwork inside the ring, already caught the attention of local scouts when he joined a boxing tournament in Maasim.

His trainer and coach Nathan Tinangsak said he saw Mepranum’s potential when he scouted him in a local tournament. “I saw the speed of his jab and the strength of his straight shot. That I think are the main weapons that caught his opponents by surprise."

Boxing analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz believes that if Mepranum is in the same shape like he was when he beat Rocky Fuentes last December he is "likely to beat" Lopez, who is an energetic young fighter which also had something to prove.

This will be the second fight on foreign soil for Mepranum, who holds an 18-1-1 fight record with seven knockouts, after losing to Denkaosan Kaovichit in Thailand in September last year.

Lopez, who lost his last three fights with two against Brian Villoria and Glenn Donaire, boasts of 24 wins with six losses. – GMANews.TV

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/137916/Up-and-comer-to-share-RP-spotlight-with-Pacquiao-in-Dream-Match

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