Julaton makes weight, ready for title defense

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Am Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton made the weight yesterday, exuding confidence before she defends her WBO regular super bantamweight champion against Argentinian Yessica Patricia Marcos at the Teatro Griego in Argentina today.

Julaton (10-2-1, with 1 KO) tipped the scales at the super bantamweight limit of 122 lbs., while Marcos (18-0-1, with 6 KOs) came in lighter at 120.8 lbs.

Marcos holds the interim version of the title, and is optimistic of unifying the championship belts against Julaton.

“I respect Ana because she is a champion, but I have confidence in me. I have had a good training camp and I am going to win tomorrow,” said Marcos, according to philboxing.com.

Her trainer, Martin Diaz, expressed his ward’s readiness for the fight.

“The last three weeks we had more than 50 rounds of sparring sessions. The last of them went for 11 rounds with a variety of intense sparring partners, in which Yessica came to throw many good punches. The good training has satisfied me, anyways, fights are fights,” Diaz said.

For his part, Julaton trainer Angelo Reyes said they have already figured out Marcos’ style.

“We know how Yessica Marcos’ boxing is, so we have trained hard. We are ready,” added Reyes.

Julaton will be fighting on hostile ground, where another Filipino boxer, Johnriel Casimero, was mauled by Argentine fans after knocking out hometown fighter Luis Lazarte for the vacant IBF light-flyweight interim title last Feb. 10.

Argentine promoter Osvaldo Rivero, however, has guaranteed the safety of Julaton and her team. Rivero also staged the Casimero-Lazarte bout.

So focused is Julaton on her fight that she’s not letting the Casimero incident affect her.

“It was a surprising and terrible incident that unfortunately resulted in a dark reflection of Argentina,” said Julaton.

Meanwhile, GMA Network will air the fight, dubbed “Laban ng Lahi,” on Sunday starting at 11 a.m.

Julaton, however, is keeping her fingers crossed nothing untoward happens before, during and after her fight against the younger and undefeated Marcos.

“I need to treat this as an isolated case as it happened in an area different from where my fight against Yesica Marcos will be held. As a champion, I cannot let this incident distract me from my responsibility of keeping my title,” said the Filipina beauty.

Marcos, at 25 six years younger than Julaton, carries at unblemished 18-0 record, including six knockouts. Julaton has a 10-1-2 ring record.

Julaton knows what’s in front of her.

“The competition is fierce but I naturally train and perform well under such circumstances. I have fought other world champions with more experience than me and Marcos’ record doesn’t faze me.

“I have learned to treat all my fights with the same attention and intensity. I expect to fight under extreme circumstances and have endured such,” Julaton added.

Julaton is coming off a unanimous victory against Jessica Villafranca of Mexico. – Dino Maragay/Abac Cordero