Barriga vows to give it his all

LOS ANGELES – Mark Anthony Barriga declined to make a prediction of how his fight against Mexico’s Carlos Licona for the vacant IBF minimumweight title will end at the Staples Center here this morning (Manila time) but promised to leave it all in the ring with no regrets, no excuses and no turning back.

In Friday afternoon’s weigh-in, both fighters had no difficulty on the scales. Barriga checked in at 103.6 and Licona, 104.8. The weight limit in the division is 105. Barriga said he intends to enter the ring weighing about 112. Over two months ago, Barriga walked around at 130 and gradually trimmed down, following a nutrition program supervised by registered dietician and conditioning coach Jeaneth Aro. 

Barriga’s trainer Joven Jimenez said Aro’s food and drink program worked like a charm. He never had to wear a sauna suit to sweat and shed off pounds, never starved himself and ate healthy without losing his energy or strength. Barriga never complained. He ate three square meals a day with snacks but the food was calibrated and selective. The result of the program is evident in Barriga’s physique as his muscles are now more toned and defined.

Aro monitored Barriga’s weight every day. She visited Barriga’s training camp in Magallanes, Cavite, twice and met up with the team once outside of camp. But Aro called every single day to check on his weight and intake even when abroad or in town taking care of other athletes in the Philippine team, including ABAP boxers, jiu-jitsu world champion Meggie Ochoa and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz. 

Barriga said it’s not his custom to study opponents fight on video, explaining his plan is to fight his fight, not his opponent’s. Jimenez, however, has carefully studied Licona’s style on YouTube and isn’t impressed. “Licona likes to come in but can also fight in and out,” said Jimenez in Filipino. “Mark is ready to do whatever it takes to win. I want him to engage, to be aggressive and not just counter and run.”

Barriga said he never makes a prediction on the outcome of his fights. “I’ll do my best to win,” he said in Filipino. “I’m confident.  I realize how important this fight is. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get this crack at a world title. Let’s just wait for the result of the fight.”

If and when Barriga claims the IBF title, he will be the fastest Filipino fighter to win a world championship. Marvin Sonsona won the WBO superflyweight crown in his 14th pro bout in 2009. Barriga could do it in his 10th fight. But Licona, 23, is in the way. Jimenez said Licona tried to intimidate Barriga at the weigh-in by staring him down. Barriga just laughed it off.