MikeLigalig.com

City of Salinas, California - World Boxing Council (WBC) Flyweight Silver Champion Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong, who is also known as the "Barefoot Boxing Prince," received a pleasant surprise from flamily friends in Salinas upon his arrival yesterday when he was presented with not just one but two pairs of brand new Nike boxing shoes which he will use in training and in his first title defense in Cancun, Mexico on Sept. 17.

The two pairs of shoes were presented to the 24-year-old champion, a product of the Barefoot Boxing Program of then North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol, his manager now, by Lloyd and April Rose, children of couple Dennis and Rose Maniwang of Balilihan, Bohol and Pikit, North Cotabato, close friends of the Pinol family who have made Salinas their home for the last 14 years.

Dapudong, who travelled to Mexico in a pair of fifty-peso rubber slippers in June to fight then World No. 1 flyweight contender Jesus Jimenez for the WBC Silver Flyweight title, was visibly touched by the gifts from the Lloyd Jaca and April Rose Maniwang, two pairs of blue and red Nike shoes.

"I will use the blue for training and the red for the championship fight," Dapudong said adding that the last pair of Nike boxing shoes that he received from Chicago-based sportsman Rolly Hiso has been worn out.

Dapudong, who is travelling with his manager, Manny Pinol and chief trainer Noli Pinol, will proceed to Los Angeles tomorrow, Sept. 6, to train for one week under Manny Pacquiao's former conditioning coach Justin Fortune in Hollywood. On Sept. 12, the team will fly to Cancun joined by retired police colonel Pat Pinol, the eldest of the 11 Pinol brothers involved in boxing, and supporter Rolly Hiso and his wife.

"We are better prepared now than we were the first time we fought for the title," said Manny Pinol. In his first stab at the world title June 19, Dapudong was informed of the fight only two weeks before the scheduled event, three days of which he spent lining up before the US embassy in Manila to get a transit visa.

In spite of the short notice, Dapudong surprised Mexican boxing when he knocked out Jimenez in the first round of the 12-round championship for the silver flyweight title, previously known as the interim title, of the WBC.

His fight against Uicab is expcted to be a tough one because of the Mexican fighter's slugging style.

"Uicab is a slugger and we are expecting this fight to be a very exicting one," said chief trainer Noli.

A victory over Uicab could lead to bigger fights for the humble and unassuming farm boy from M'lang, North Cotabato.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=31791.0