January 28, 2004
CEBU, PHILIPPINES-Rex Wakee Salud, a leading Filipino promoter as well as a prominent gambler, made the schedule of his dual OPBF title promotion a day earlier than planned and stages it this coming Friday (January 30). The headliner is Randy Suico (20-0, 17 KOs), ranked #2 both by the WBC and the WBA, who will defend his OPBF 130-pound belt against Korean top contender Seungwon Baek (9-2, 2 KOs) at the dinner show of Waterfront Hotel in Cebu, Philippines. For Suico, it will be his final tune-up prior to his participation in a WBC eliminator to decide the official challenger against WBC top contender Mzonke Fana in South Africa this coming April. The winner will be entitled to have a mandatory shot at the winner of Jesus Chavez and Erik Morales with the WBC 130-pound throne at stake on February 28. Also, OPBF 122-pound champ Pedrito Laurente (14-6-1, 5 KOs) will risk his belt against the top ranked compatriot Jimrex Jaca (20-0, 9 KOs), handled by Salud, in a 12-round mandatory title go. Laurente, who dethroned Manabu Fukushima in Tokyo last year, previously lost to Jaca on points in his quest for the Philippine national belt, so it will be a grudge fight for him to avenge his last defeat.
(1-28-04)