New Pinoy ring hero emerges

MANILA, Philippines - In boxing, Rocky is probably the most popular nickname of all with Flash a distant second. Rocky Marciano (Rocco Francis Marchegiano), Rocky Graziano (Thomas Rocco Barbella), Rocky (Ricardo) Juarez and Rocky (Ramon) Alarde come to mind.

But in the case of Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight champion Rocky Fuentes, he was born with the name. It was like he was destined to be a fighter. Rocky isn’t his moniker – it’s his real name.

Fuentes’ father Cesar was a pro fighter who never made it beyond eight-rounders. What he couldn’t achieve in the ring, he dreamed for his only son, the oldest of three children, the boy he named Rocky. The father taught his son how to box and brought him to the ALA Gym in Cebu to start training at the age of 12.

Before long, Fuentes made a name for himself in the ring, capturing the gold in Batang Pinoy in 1999. He took back-to-back golds in the National Youth Championships in 2001 and 2002, setting up a pro career that began in 2003.

Fuentes had just turned 16 when in his fourth pro bout, he knocked out John Eman Juarez in the fourth round in Davao City . Juarez lost consciousness and was brought out of the ring on a stretcher. He died of head injuries four days later. The episode took a toll on Fuentes who appeared to lack consistency and focus in his next fights.

But as he matured, Fuentes regained his bearings. Today, he is one of only three reigning Filipino OPBF champions; the others are minimumweight Michael Landero and bantamweight Malcolm Tunacao. The OPBF is affiliated with the WBC and widely considered the most prestigious regional sanctioning body.

Fuentes hasn’t lost in his last seven bouts and is ranked No. 7 by the WBC, No. 9 by the WBO, No 10 by the WBA and No. 10 by the IBF. Last Sept. 5, he halted Japanese challenger Yasuto Aritomi at 2:13 of the eighth round in the second defense of his OBPF crown in Nagoya .

“I’m ready to fight for the world title,” said Fuentes the other day. “I was in first year taking up criminology at the University of the Visayas when I decided to stop studying to concentrate on boxing. I’m grateful to Mr. (Tony) Aldeguer for giving me the break to become a Philippine and OPBF champion. If he gives me a chance to fight for the world title, I won’t let him and the Filipino people down.”

Fuentes said he picked up the strong points of how his Mexican idols Juan Manuel Marquez and Fernando Montiel fight to develop his own style. “I try to counter like Marquez and control a fight like Montiel,” he said. “I want to be aggressive. Against Aritomi, I put pressure on him, pounded his body to slow him down and used my overhand right to score a knockdown in the fifth. The referee (Jae Bong Kim of Korea) stopped it in the eighth when he wasn’t fighting back.”

ALA Gym trainer Edito Villamor said Fuentes is a boxer-puncher who knows when to pressure, when to back off and when to go all out. “He has his own style,” said Villamor. “What I like about Rocky is his aggressiveness. He has a little of A. J. Banal, a little of Boom Boom Bautista and a little of Donnie Nietes. He’s got a big heart. Remember that he beat a Japanese for the OPBF title and two Japanese challengers in his last three fights, all in Japan. That took a lot of guts.”

No doubt, Fuentes has emerged as a new Pinoy boxing hero with the potential to become a world champion.

Fuentes said he has no preference as to which champion to stalk – WBA’s Daiki Kameda of Japan , WBC’s Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand, IBF’s Moruthi Mthalane of South Africa or WBO’s Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico .

“Maybe, it will be Kameda since I’ve fought in Japan and the promoters know me but I’m also willing to fight Pongsaklek or anybody else,” said Fuentes. “I’ll just wait for the opportunity. Mr. Aldeguer and his son Michael will know what to do if they think I’m ready. I leave my future up to them.”

Fuentes began his career with Banal and Bautista, training under Villamor and Peter Cuison. Now, all three are in a race to win a world title. “Our time will come,” he said. “We just have to work hard and stay disciplined.”

Fuentes’ record is 27-6-2, with 17 KOs and hasn’t lost since dropping a split decision to Richie Mempranum in 2007. He has won 13 of his last 14 outings.

“Rocky’s really a very nice kid, God-fearing and a devout Iglesia Ni Kristo follower,” said Aldeguer.

Regarding his name, Fuentes said his father – who makes, sells and delivers “kalans” for a living – was enamored by Sylvester Stallone’s portrayal of Rocky Balboa in the movie series and that’s how he was christened.

“What started out as his father’s dream is now slowly becoming Rocky’s reality,” said Chad Canares of ALA Promotions. “This young man has gone through a lot in life and has nowhere to go but up to the top of his division.”

Philippine boxing has found a new Rocky to carry on the tradition of Marciano, Graziano, Mattioli and the other Rocky world champions.