Cuello waiting for title shot

MANILA, Philippines - WBC No. 1 minimumweight contender Denver Cuello has been assured of a title shot within 90 days of defending champion Xiong Zhao Zhong’s defense against Thailand’s Wanheng Menayothin in Las Vegas in March but may cross over to the WBO in the interim if WBC president Jose Sulaiman allows it.

Cuello’s manager Aljoe Jaro told The STAR yesterday he will request Sulaiman’s permission to shoot for the WBO crown, soon to be vacated by Mexico’s Moises Fuentes, while waiting to challenge the Xiong-Wanheng winner. If Sulaiman gives the go-signal, Jaro will negotiate for Cuello to fight for the vacant title in Manila against either Carlos Buitrago of Nicaragua or Luis de la Rosa of Colombia.

“We’ve waited two years for Denver’s title shot but he keeps getting bypassed,” said Jaro. “The former WBC champion (Kazuto Ioka) gave up the title because he didn’t want to defend against Denver, the mandatory challenger. But instead of Denver fighting for the vacant title, the WBC chose Xiong and (Javier) Resendiz. I didn’t protest because the WBC explained it would be historic to stage the fight in China. Besides, Denver was given a step aside fee of $25,000 and an assurance he would fight the Xiong-Resendiz winner. Now that Xiong has won, Denver is being sidelined again but without a step aside fee.”

At the WBC Convention in Cancun last December, it was unanimously voted to sanction Xiong’s first defense against a choice challenger. Jaro attended the convention but left before the voting took place. He was under the impression that Cuello’s title shot was a done deal. When Jaro found out about the vote, he threatened to sue the WBC. He was eventually placated.

Sulaiman explained to Jaro that the vote couldn’t be retracted but guaranteed Cuello will fight for the title by the middle of the year. “We have always tried to help you,” said Sulaiman in an e-mail to Jaro. “We will do everything possible to support you once again for you to be satisfied. Denver will be fighting, without a doubt, for the WBC title by mid-year the latest. We are trying everything possible to support Cuello and yourself.”

Jaro said if Xiong is allowed to make a choice defense, Cuello must be given another step aside fee by co-promoters Liu Gang and Gary Shaw. He also asked Sulaiman to book Cuello in the undercard of Xiong’s defense in Las Vegas. Another option that Jaro proposed to Sulaiman is to make Cuello the mandatory challenger for WBC lightflyweight champion Adrian Hernandez.

“If you’ve already committed and can’t change the decision (on Xiong’s first defense), Denver would like to fight in the 108-pound division against Hernandez,” said Jaro in a recent e-mail to Sulaiman. “My favor is you can put Denver in the lightflyweight division as the mandatory challenger for Hernandez. If Hernandez doesn’t accept our request, we will wait for Zhong’s next title defense and hopefully, the WBC will make an agreement for the winner to defend the title against Denver.”

Jaro made an impassioned appeal for Sulaiman to protect Cuello. “I hope that you can help Denver,” he said. “Denver is very poor, that’s why he’s trying his best to become a WBC champion to help his father and his own family (his mother died in 2007).”

Jaro said if Sulaiman agrees, Cuello could fight for the soon-to-be-vacant WBO throne in the meantime. Cuello is ranked No. 4 by the WBO while Buitrago is No. 1, De la Rosa No. 2 and Filipino Merlito Sabillo No. 3. “I’ve been assured that Denver will move up to No. 1 or No. 2 to become eligible to fight for the vacant WBO title,” said Jaro. “Last year, I asked the WBC’s permission for Denver to fight for the IBF title and was turned down. I followed the WBC’s wishes. Our goal is for Denver to become a legitimate world champion. He’s been long overdue as a mandatory challenger.”

While Jaro is negotiating a deal, Cuello is busy training to stay in shape for whatever eventuality. He is working out with stablemate and former WBC flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro in Binangonan. Jaro is slated to face local favorite McWilliams Arroyo in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, on Feb. 2. A win over Arroyo will put Jaro closer to a crack at IBF superflyweight titlist Juan Carlos Sanchez.

Jaro said Wanheng, the unbeaten WBC No. 2 minimumweight contender, isn’t in a hurry to battle Xiong. “Wanheng’s manager Virat (Wachirarattanawong) told me he prefers Denver and Xiong to fight first before his boy faces the winner,” said Jaro. “I think Wanheng has a good chance of beating Xiong. No matter who’ll win, the WBC has guaranteed that Denver will be the next challenger within 90 days.”