JAYSON Mama locks horns with Robert Paradero in what should be an exciting clash of two former world title challengers on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at the MGOC-LGU in T’Boli, South Cotabato.
“It’s a crossroad fight for the two,” Sanman Promotions chief executive officer JC Manangquil, the event promoter, told SunStar Cebu. “Jayson needs to prove that he is really a world-class boxer after the loss to Sunny Edwards. Paradero, on the other end, is hungry for a win. He lost his last two fights, but both were competitive. It’s going to be a good fight.”
Mama is still on a comeback trail after suffering his first career loss in a world title fight against International Boxing Federation flyweight king Sunny Edwards in 2021. Although he has bounced back since with back-to-back wins over Ramel Antaran and Crison Omayao, the 26-year-old Mama faces his first stiff test to prove that he’s still at an elite level. He’s currently ranked No. 30 by the World Boxing Council and looks to move up the ranks with a win over Paradero.
Paradero is also out to redeem himself after losing four of his last five contests. He hasn’t won a fight since scoring a first-round knockout of Jonathan Almacen in Biñan City in 2019.
Not so long ago, Paradero was considered as one of the best minimum weights from the Philippines. He earned a shot at the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight belt against Vic Saludar in an all-Pinoy world championship in 2021. Paradero, however, failed to wrest the title after losing to Saludar by split decision.
Paradero immediately earned another title shot months later, this time against WBA minimumweight super champion Thammanoon Niyomtrong, who was considered as one of the best 105-pound fighters in the world. It was a close contest, but Paradero was demolished by Niyomtrong in the fifth round.
From then on, Paradero’s career continued to plummet. He fought one-time world title challenger Vince Paras to a split draw before losing to him by unanimous decision in their rematch last year. He went to South Africa later that same year to try and redeem himself, but he bowed down to South African prospect Gcona Makhoba by a convincing unanimous decision.
Both Mama and Paradero weighed in at the flyweight limit of 112 pounds.
Mama is 18-1 with 10 knockouts, while Paradero is 18-4-1 with 12 knockouts.
In the undercard, journeyman Adam Diu Abdul Hamid (17-13, 9 KOs) faces off with battle-scarred veteran Jose Ocampo (21-15-1, 13 KOs), while tough slugger Kenny Demecillo (16-6-2, 10 KOs) trades leather with Kim Lindog (8-15-1, 5 KOs). (EKA)