Calderon handa sa hamon ni Viloria

MANILA, Philippines - Kung si Puerto Rican world light flyweight champion Ivan Calderon ang tatanungin, handa niyang tanggapin ang hamon ni Filipino titlist Brian Viloria para sa isang unification fight ngayong taon.

Sinabi ni Calderon, ang kasalukuyang World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight king, na may posibilidad na maitakda ang kanilang unification bout ni Viloria, ang bagong International Boxing Federation (IBF) ruler.

“There is no particular order on who I would fight first but Viloria is definitely a possibility,” ani Calderon, nakatakdang itaya ang kanyang WBO crown laban kay Filipino challenger Rodel Mayol. “The sure thing right now is I’m fighting Mayol. He is my priority right now and I must defeat him first for the other fights to be possible.”

Maghaharap sina Calderon, nagdadala ng 32-0-0 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 6 KOs, at Mayol (25-3-0, 19 KOs) sa Hunyo 13 sa Madison Square Garden sa New York City.

Nauna nang binuksan ng 28-anyos na si Viloria ang usapan hinggil sa kagustuhan niyang maagaw sa 34-anyos na si Calderon ang hawak nitong WBO belt.

Nagkaharap na sina Viloria, umiskor ng isang 11th-round TKO kay Mexican Ulises Solis para agawin ang suot nitong IBF title noong Abril, at Calderon sa amateur kung saan dalawang beses tinalo ng tinaguriang “The Hawaiian Punch” ang kilalang si “Iron Boy”.

“Viloria defeated me twice in the amateurs and I defeated him once. Understand that he didn’t knock me out or have me in trouble in his stoppage win over me,” ani Calderon.

Binigo naman ni Calderon si Viloria, miyembro ng U.S. Team noong 2000 Olympic Games, sa Olympic trials.

“He did defeat me in two tournaments but I defeated him in the big one which was the Olympic trials,” pagyayabang ni Calderon. (Russell Cadayona)