A couple of boxers are primed and ready to make Pasig City their rumble grounds on Saturday for fight card “Laban Pinoy,” and it all began with a successful weigh-in.
Lightweights Roberto Gonzales and Arjan Canillas both tipped the scales at 134 pounds during the fight’s preparations at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel on Friday.
Canillas, the number one lightweight of the Philippines, and Gonzales, the number two, will duke it out for the vacant Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Philippine Lightweight Title.
Both fighters promised their fight would be the very definition of the word and dances are not allowed on their ring.
“Bukas magbibigay talaga ako ng magandang laban para sulit pagpunta nung mga tao,” the mild-mannered Gonzales (26-2) said, which his opponent Canillas (13-2-2) echoed.
“Walang takbuhan to,” Canillas said.
FISTS OF FURY. (From left) Canillas and Gonzales. Eloisa Lopez/PDI
Laban Pinoy promoter Elmer Anuran said the fight would be a historic one, marking a rare occasion when the no.1 and no.2 fighters in their weight division match up against each other for a vacant belt.
“Halos lahat naman ng Filipino legends dumaan muna sa pagkuha ng Philippine belt,” Anuran said. “Kailangan ng Philippine boxing ng mga bagong manlalaro upang itaguyod ito.”
Bernabe Concepcion, the reigning WBO-Oriental super bantamweight champion, will face fellow Filipino Jimmy Paypa in the co-main event as both boxers weighed 122 pounds.