Cuello nears world title shot

MANILA, Philippines - If there’s a Filipino fighter who deserves a world title shot, it has to be Denver Cuello. The 5-3 Iloilo southpaw is ranked No. 4 by the WBC and No. 6 by the IBF in the minimumweight division and No. 5 by the WBO and No. 7 by the WBA in the lightflyweight class. He has won his last six bouts, all by knockout, and boasts a record of 27-4-6, with 17 KOs.

Cuello’s manager Aljoe Jaro said yesterday he’s getting impatient waiting for the WBC to pave the way for his crack. As the WBC International 105-pound titleholder, Cuello has the privilege of a no-questions-asked sanction to challenge for the crown. But Jaro said he can’t wait forever.

 “I guarantee if Denver fights for the world title, he’ll win – I’m 101 percent sure of it,” said Jaro. “All the champions are scared of him, they’re avoiding him. Denver’s confidence is at a high. He has the moves, the power and the speed to beat anyone in his division. Right now, he’s unbeatable. I’ve been waiting for the WBC to give Denver a chance for a year.”

Last July 16, Cuello demolished Puerto Rico’s Omar (El Pastor) Soto in two rounds in the Brian Viloria-Julio Cesar Miranda undercard at the Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. It was a total mismatch as Soto went down twice in the first round and thrice in the second.

 “Soto wasn’t a patsy,” said Jaro. “He was Ivan Calderon’s sparring partner and went 12 rounds with Ganigan Lopez and Ramon Garcia. He has also fought Edgar Sosa and Oleydong Sithsamerchai, both former world champions. After the fight, Soto told me he just couldn’t take Denver’s power, that all he could do was to cover up and run. Soto never got hurt as badly in his career and he’s fought a lot of world champions.”

Jaro said he will fly to Tokyo to witness WBC minimumweight champion Kazuto Ioka’s defense against Mexico’s Juan Hernandez at the Korakuen Hall on Aug. 10. “I’ll go two days before the fight so I can start negotiating with both camps,” said Jaro. “If Ioka wins, I doubt if he will agree to fight Denver in Manila but we’re prepared to fight him in Japan. If Hernandez wins, we’ll definitely make an offer for a fight in Manila. I heard that Ioka might relinquish the crown if he wins. That means Denver and Ganigan Lopez might be called to fight for the vacant throne with the winner to defend against Wanheng Menayothin.”

The WBC ranks Hernandez No. 1, Lopez No. 2, Menayothin No. 3 and Cuello No. 4.

Ioka, 22, has a record of 7-0, with five KOs while Hernandez, 24, is 18-1, with 13 KOs. Last year, Cuello was robbed of a victory over Hernandez in Mexico. Hernandez was on the verge of losing by knockout and almost out on his feet when Cuello threw a glancing blow to the body. Mexican authorities declared Hernandez the winner by disqualification. Cuello said he dreams of the opportunity to gain payback.

 “I’ve sent an e-mail to (WBC executive secretary) Mauricio (Sulaiman) asking if he’ll be in Tokyo because if he comes, I’d like to discuss Denver’s future in the WBC,” said Jaro. “He couldn’t confirm his presence. I asked when Denver will get his title shot, Mauricio replied ‘very soon, very soon.’”

Jaro said if negotiations with the WBC bog down, he’ll fly to Jakarta and reach out to WBA minimumweight champion Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia. Rachman, 39, was stopped by Cuello in the ninth round in Iligan City last year. But the durable veteran came back to halt Kwanthai Sithmorseng in Bangkok to wrest the WBA crown last April. Rachman was behind on the three judges scorecards, two by a shutout, when he stopped Kwanthai. Rachman is set to stake his crown against Thailand’s Pornsawan Porpramook in Jakarta tomorrow. If Rachman retains the title, Jaro will try to lure him back to the Philippines for a fight against Cuello.

WBO Asia Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo said Cuello will be considered as a challenger for the lightflyweight championship after Ramon Garcia’s defense against Donnie Nietes in Bacolod City on Sept. 10.

 “Denver is comfortable either at 105 or 108,” said Jaro. “In Honolulu, he impressed Top Rank matchmaker Shane Gibson who promised to book a big fight in the US. There’s no rush for Denver to move up. He can stay in the minimumweight division until he feels it’s time to jump.”

At the moment, there’s a heated race among local fighters to become the next Filipino world champion, joining WBO welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao, WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire and WBO flyweight ruler Brian Viloria. Johnriel Casimero is first in the queue as he battles Kennedy Kanyanta for the vacant IBO flyweight crown in Sambia on Aug. 20. Casimero, 21, has lost his last two assignments to Moruti Mthalane and Ramon Garcia while Kanyanta, 32, is unbeaten with an 11-0 record, including nine KOs. Then, Nietes takes his turn as he attempts to become the seventh Filipino to win at least two world titles in different classes. On Sept. 24, Michael Landero takes on Hekkie Budler for the vacant IBO minimumweight title in Gauteng, South Africa.