EXPECT a much improved Regie Suganob who will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Global light flyweight title against Japanese Kai Ishizawa on April 30, 2024, in the main event of PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions’ “Kumong Bol-anon XIV” at the Holy Name University Barder Gym after tapping the services of strength and conditioning coach Pio Solon for his training camp.
Suganob started training with Solon for a brief moment in his last fight against Ronald Chacon on Nov. 11, 2023, in Bohol. This time, Solon has been working with Solon for his whole training camp for Ishizawa.
“Regie’s conditioning is good and he’s had an upgrade in his training,” PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions head Floriezyl Echavez Podot told SunStar Cebu. “We really got a conditioning coach to develop his power without compromising his speed. That’s the area that we’ve been focusing on Regie right now.”
Solon is one of the top conditioning coaches in Cebu and worked with some of the best boxers at the ALA Gym.
“Coach Pio was there in the Chacon fight but it was more of a crash course training because of the limited time. But we continued after the Chacon fight and followed a program,” said Podot. “Regie’s endurance and stamina is always there. We are adding more work on his muscles to improve his power. Our target is to increase his knockout rate.”
The 26-year-old Suganob totally outclassed Chacon and defeated him by a lopsided unanimous decision, winning the vacant WBO Global light flyweight title.
Suganob is working his way back to another world title shot. He fought for a world title last year and lost to International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight king Sivenathi Nontshinga by unanimous decision in South Africa.
Ishizawa is making a huge gamble in this fight, fighting for the first time outside of Japan.
The 27-year-old Ishizawa suffered a close split decision to former world title challenger Vince Paras in his last fight on Oct. 12, 2023, in Japan.
Like Suganob, Ishizawa is also a former world title challenger. He challenged then-WBO minimumweight king Masataka Taniguchi and lost by an 11th-round technical knockout in Japan.
Suganob is 14-1 with four knockouts, while Ishizawa is 11-3 with 10 knockouts.
In the main supporting bout, Shane Gentallan (8-1, 5 KOs) slugs it out with Indonesian prospect Wandi Priman Hulu (2-1-1).
In the undercard, Althea Shine Pores (4-0, 1 KO) locks horns with Renz Dacquel (3-1, 2 KOs) for the Philippine Female light flyweight title, Angilou Dalogdog (9-0, 3 KOs) is up against veteran Roland Jay Biendima (17-15-1, 10 KOs), Sugarey Leonard Pores (4-0, 3 KOs) trades leathers with Ruel Julian (4-6, 1 KO), Arlando Senoc (2-0, 2 KOs) is fighting Kier Torregosa (2-4-2, 1 KO) and Leonard Pores III (1-0, 1 KO) takes on Jaren Jase Guarin (0-2). / EKA