Magramo against all odds in Japan fight
GIEMEL MAGRAMO needs all the help possible from the gods of boxing against Japanese Junto Nakatani who has all the advantages leaning on his side in a showdown for the vacant World Boxing Organization ( WBO) flyweight belt at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on November 6.
For starters, the fight was postponed five times this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic—april 14, June 6, July 4, August 1 and August 21—adding anxiety to the 26-year- old Parañaque City resident.
Magramo (24-1 win-loss with 20 knockouts) knows his undefeated rival has it all in the fight—from the 500 hometown crowd allowed allowed in them, to a training advantages at his hometown and, to top it all, three Japanese sitting as judges.
But Magramo’s unperturbed.
“I’m must not give him any chance or any opportunity. We really need to land first a solid one because he has all the advantages, or should I say he has it all,” Magramo told Businessmirror through overseas call from the Grand Palace Hotel in Tokyo on Sunday morning.
Magramo and his team are on the fourth day of a 14- day quarantine.
“I am studying his moves and style,” said Magramo, who admitted a knockout victory is necessary.
Magramo’s promoter, Johnny Elorde, said he is confident of his ward’s victory, adding he trusts his Japanese counterpart, Akihiro Honda of Teikken Promotions, for a fair judgement.
Completing Magramo’s team are his father trainer Melvin Magramo, Toto Laurente and Elorde’s son, Juan Miguel, also a former world title challenger.
The 22-year- old Nakatani (20-0 with 15 knockouts) is coming off a technical knockout win over former world champion Milan Melindo in October 5, 2019. Joseframos