Cebu City - Former IBF Light Flyweight World Champion Carlos “El Olimpico" Tamara (21W-5L, 15 KO’s) arrived in Cebu today and met the Cebu Sports Press Corps during a press conference held noontime at the Golden Cowrie Restaurant in Lahug. Together with Team Tamara’s Michael Rodriguez and Edgar Sanchez, they talked about his upcoming fight against Milan “Metodico” Melindo (22W-0L, 7 KO’s) of the ALA Gym.
When asked about his title loss to Luis Lazarte in Argentina, Tamara said that he was struggling to make 108 lbs but now he feels a lot stronger that he will be fighting at 112.
He then bared his thoughts about the fight this Saturday, “Nothing is written in stone, but I will leave everything in the ring.” He has sparred one hundred and fifty rounds for this fight, more than the Viloria fight. He considers Omar Narvaez and Brian Viloria as the two best that he has faced in the ring.
Trainer Edgar "Butch" Sanchez however, had more to say when asked if they can surprise the Filipino fans again after beating Brian Viloria in Pasay City last January. “I don’t feel our win was a surprise. Viloria made a mistake in fighting Tamara. Well, it wasn’t really a mistake because he was the mandatory challenger, but Melindo made a bigger mistake by choosing to fight Tamara.”
“We have prepared well for this fight. We sparred with former bantamweight champ Joseph Agbeko” Sanchez added, “We will give Milan Melindo his first defeat.”
Sanchez however has respect for Melindo’s skills. “He is a good boxer puncher, but we prepared well for this fight. We’ve seen his fights on youtube. This will be a great fight. We are not looking past Melindo, I think this will go ten rounds. We don’t see a lot of weaknesses in his style but his inexperience is his weakness. Tamara has fought Giovani Segura, Narvaez, Viloria. If you lack experience, its like being placed in a pool that gets deeper from four feet to ten feet and you don’t know what to do.”
But Tamara also has nice things to say about Cebu and the Philippines. “It reminds me of Colombia. People here are always smiling and very warm. Even when they’re working they’re smiling.”
Sanchez said that after they beat Melindo, they would like to fight here again and be the main event with Melindo as the co-main event.
Melindo and Tamara will meet on Thursday in the final presscon at the Waterfront Hotel. The official weigh-in will be on Friday 11 AM at the SM Cebu City Mall and fight time on Nov 27 starts at 6 PM.
Pinoy Pride II will also feature OPBF flyweight champion Rocky Fuentes, who will be defending his title against Inthanon Sithchamuang of Thailand, former IBF world miniflyweight champ Florante Condes who will fight Kenichi Horikawa of Japan, Former three time OPBF champ Randy “Komong Bato” Suico will fight as a welterweight against reigning Philippine welterweight titlist Arnel Tinampay in an eight round non-title fight and the second pro outing of Dodie Boy Penalosa,Jr, who will face Jomar Torreon.
philboxing.com
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