DAVAO CITY -- Interim World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental flyweight champion Ronnie Baldonado of Davao City will make his first title-defense on September 30 in Beijing, China.
Baldonado (9W-0L-1D, 6 KOs) of MP Davao Gym will be challenged by former IBF Youth flyweight champion Iwan “Sniper” Zoda (14W-2L-1D, 13 KOs) of Indonesia for 10 rounds in the main event co-promoted by Sen. Manny Pacquiao of MP Promotions and Wen Xin Zhou of Ding Xin Sports.
It is sanctioned by the Professional Boxing Commission of China (PBC).
The 20-year-old Baldonado is scheduled to fly to China from Manila on September 27 together with his chief trainer Raides “Nonoy” Neri and manager Vanessa Neri.
“Okay ang condition ug preparasyon ni Jong-Jong sa iyang depensa (The condition and preparation of Jong-Jong for his defense is ok),” said Nonoy Neri, who is also one of the Filipino assistant trainers of 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.
Baldonado, a native of Carmen, North Cotabato captured the interim WBO Oriental flyweight crown by stopping Yiming Ma by a first round technical knockout last April 27 at the National Olympic Sports Center Gym in Beijing.
Zoda, on the other hand, lost his IBF Youth flyweight crown by a 7th round TKO to Filipino challenger Robert Onggocan last January 28 in Ngabang, Indonesia.
Zoda, however, bounced back by stopping Sonatu Waleruu via a 2nd round TKO in his previous fight held August 20 in Jakarta.
“Dili puede kumpiyansahan ang kalaban kay dating IBF Youth champion ug knockout artist sad (We can’t take the opponent lightly because he is a former IBF Youth champion and a knockout artist also),” said Neri.
Meanwhile, four other boxers from MP Davao Gym are also seeing action in the undercard.
WBO Asia Pacific welterweight champion Jayar “Hitman” Inson (13W-1L-0D, 9 KOs) faces Yangcheng Jin (5W-1L-2D, 1 KO) while MinProBA flyweight champion Genesis “Cobra” Libranza (12W-1L-0D, 9 KOs) takes on Yujie Zeng (6W-6L-1D).
Light flyweight Rene Mark Cuarto (12W-1L-1D, 7 KOs) collides with Guangxiong Li (4W-2L-1D) while unbeaten MinProBA bantamweight king Vincent Astrolabio (9W-0L, 7 KOs) fights Ayati Sailike (3W-4L-2D, 1 KO). (Lito delos Reyes/PNA)
