IT COULD be the end of a long up-and-down career for Rocky Fuentes after suffering a devastating knockout in Japan over the weekend.
Fuentes got knocked out by world-rated Japanese fighter Shohei Omori in the third round of a scheduled eight-rounder in a New Year’s Eve boxing show at the Shimazu Arena in Kyoto last Saturday night.
It was a competitive fight up until Omori sneaked in a right uppercut that landed flush on Fuentes’s jaw as he was weaving. Fuentes tried to get up but was too dazed and was counted out by the referee in the 2:03 mark.
“I don’t think Rocky has a future anymore in the world championship level. He had his time. Even though he fought in a bigger weight class, but still Rocky needs to ponder on his future,” ALA Promotions President Michael Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu.
Fuentes, at some point of his career, was world-rated. He fought for a world title twice back in 2014, but lost on both occasions. He fought for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight belt against Amnat Ruenroeng, but lost by unanimous decision. A few months later, he challenged then World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight king Roman Gonzalez and got stopped in the sixth round.
This was just Fuentes’s second loss in Japan and his first against a Japanese fighter. The 30-year-old native of Cebu City has fought eight times in Japan and won his first six contests there.
Fuentes dropped to 35-9-2 with 20 knockouts, while WBC No. 7 and World Boxing Organization (WBO) No. 11 ranked Omori improved to 18-1 with 13 knockouts.
Though his future in the sport solely relies on his decision, Fuentes already has a job waiting for him if he decides to hang it up.
“Whatever he decides, we will support him. If he decides to retire, he has a job waiting for him either as a full-time trainer at the ALA Fitness Gym or he can train professional fighters. Rocky is a good and loyal person that is why we will make sure to take care of him after his career is over. We will talk to him next week,” said Aldeguer.