Pinoy underdog in Singapore title showdown

UNDEFEATED Lorenzo Villanueva will enter the ring an underdog when he fights for the the International Boxing Organization (IBO) world championship at the Marina Bay Sands Resort in Singapore on May 5.

The 27-year-old orphan from Bual Norte, Midsayap, North Cotabato, who holds an impressive professional record of 24 wins with 23 knockouts, will go up against Indonesia’s Daud Cino Yordan, 25, a former Olympian.

Yordan had a long amateur stint and two unsuccessful bids for the world title.

Villanueva is often ranked as a street fighter with an awkward style but who possesses tremendous power. He has knocked down all of his opponents as a pro, with 23 of them not lasting beyond 10 rounds. His last three fights ended in first-round knockouts.

Against Yordan, however, Villanueva is considered an underdog.

“I know he will run but I will catch him,” said Villanueva. Recah Trinidad