AFTER a career of obscurity in the Philippine boxing scene, journeyman Rodel Wenceslao is finally in the spotlight as he slugs it out with Ernie Sanchez for the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Australasian welterweight title in the main event of ARQ Boxing Promotions’ Engkwentro 12 - “Binumbahay sa Masbate” on March 8, 2024 in Cawayan, Masbate.
“I’m excited to fight for a title. I thank sir Jason (Alquizola) for this. I assure everyone a win because I trained really well not like in the past when I had to train on my own,” said Wenceslao.
Wenceslao is a talented fighter but had no direction in his career because he wasn’t handled well. He is 20-19-2 with nine knockouts, while Sanchez is 21-19-2 with 12 knockouts.
Now 30, Wenceslao finally has a direction in his career under the guidance of ARQ Promotions.
“Before he was with ARQ, he had more losses than wins. But when he arrived here, he’s won six straight fights,” said ARQ Sports’ Roger Potot.
It is the first win streak in Wenceslao’s career.
Deserving
“We were not supposed to get him because he’s an older fighter. But he showed to us that he was deserving because of his hard work. That’s why we got him. That’s what I’m looking for in a boxer, one who is hardworking and listens to what we teach him. He has shown huge improvement since we first got him. Now he fights with a system, not like in the past when he fought recklessly,” said ARQ Boxing head coach Eldo Cortes.
Wenceslao is coming off a fourth-round stoppage of club fighter Ryan Maano last Oct. 28, 2023 in Tuburan.
On the other hand, the 32-year-old Sanchez is also a journeyman who has fought world champions like Rey Vargas, Oscar Valdez, Masayuki Ito and Sergei Lipinets.
“Our event has very exciting fights, there are no mismatches,” said Potot.
Also featured in the show is an eight-rounder between undefeated prospect Berland Robles (10-0, 4 KOs) and former world title challenger Robert Paradero (18-7-1, 12 KOs). / EKA