Tuesday, December 23, 2008 Maraon packs tremendous power
THE Philippines now has an answer to the challenge of world superflyweight champion Vic Darchinyan to "bring in all the Filipinos."
His name is Jundy Gonzaga Maraon, 23, also known as "Pretty Boy" because of his good looks, and who is standing five-foot-six tall with a professional boxing record of 11 wins and 1 draw, with nine of those victories coming by way of knockouts.
Maraon is currently rated No. 6 bantamweight in the Philippines, but he is moving down to the junior bantamweight division after his handlers found out that he could easily make the 115-lb. weight limit and mainly because of the lure of a big fight against the brash and boastful Armenian-Australian champion.
Absent from the ring for 15 months because of injuries brought about by freak accidents, the Salinas, California-based Maraon returned to the fight scene last Saturday with a quick first round knockout victory over Manila-based Archet Caballes in M'lang, North Cotabato.
Maraon was supposed to fight for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia Pacific bantamweight title two years ago but he slipped while running and injured his knee. He was later scheduled to fight for the Philippine title but this was cancelled when he stepped on a nail, which pierced his right foot.
Early this year, Top Rank signed him up but he failed to get a fight because of a swollen knuckle in his left hand. And when he was fit and ready, the expected appearance in the undercard of the Pacquiao-De La Hoya bout, where he was the alternate to Saranggani's Richie Mepranum, did not push through.
The misfortunes did not end there.
Maraon was scheduled to fight Dec. 12 in the last staging of the Solo Boxeo card in Alameda, Los Angeles along with his teammate, featherweight Glenn Gonzales, but his Mexican opponent failed to take the flight from Mexico to California.
That was when his handlers decided to bring him back to the Philippines to fight in a small boxing card staged in honor of Maraon's manager and benefactor, North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Piñol, who celebrated his birthday Dec. 16.
"I am glad the string of bad luck is over for Jundy. He is back and he is in great shape," said Piñol, who owns North Cotabato's Braveheart Boxing Club along with his brothers.
Braveheart's chief trainer, Noli Pinol, younger brother of Vice Gov. Piñol, and training consultant Nonito Donaire Sr., who recently joined the North Cotabato boxing club, both agree that Maraon would be ready for Darchinyan after three or four more fights.
Pretty Boy Maraon is considered by both Noli and Nonito Sr. as a potential world champion mainly because of his power and good defensive style.
Noli said Jundy is one of the very few boxers he has known who could knock down an opponent in sparring with one punch using 16-ounce gloves.
"The boy has tremendous power and Vic Darchinyan will get what he is looking for," said Nonito Sr., whose son. Nonito Jr., dealt the Australian champion his only loss. Nonito Sr., who trained Nonito Jr. since he was young, has since parted ways with his son.
Maraon's otherwise immaculate record as a professional is blemished by a lone draw when the ring physician stopped his fight against Manny Pacquiao's protégé, Ernel Fontanilla, because of a tiny cut in the 2nd round of their fight in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Oscar Larios bout.
"Ernel was badly hurt and he was on the way out when the doctor stopped the fight because of a small cut," said Vice Gov. Piñol, adding that Fontanilla's trainer, Buboy Fernandez, admitted asking the doctor to stop the fight to save his boxer from a sure knockout.
Maraon will be back in the ring on Jan. 10 in a small boxing card in Makilala, North Cotabato in preparation for the scheduled big fight for the WBO regional title on Feb. 21 in Cebu City.
"Hopefully, Jundy will be given a chance to fight Darchinyan before the end of 2009 so we could show to the boxing world that after Manny Pacquiao retires, Philippine boxing has a lot more talents to offer," Piñol said.
