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Boxing: Training under lockdown, Giemel Magramo now sets eyes on world title

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Manolo Pedralvez

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/sports/11/06/magramo.jpg"/><figcaption>Giemel Magramo during the weigh-in Thursday, the eve of his world-title fight. Handout</figcaption></figure></div>Will the son be better than the father?Giemel Magramo of the Philippines will find this out on Friday when he battles Junto Nakatani of Japan for the vacant World Boxing Organization flyweight championship at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.As a young boy growing up, Giemel watched his father, former pro boxer Melvin, training at the Elorde Sports Center in Parañaque, owned by the famous boxing clan led by the late great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde and his wife Laura, who passed away in May at 92.While he showed promise, the best that the elder Magramo could secure was the Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation and WBO inter-continental flyweight belts, but never a full-fledged world crown.Now, his son is on the cusp of doing just that after six postponements and seven months of anxiously waiting whether the title match with the lean and lanky Japanese slugger would push through or not.Magramo and Nakatani will tussle about 8:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. in Manila) <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/05/20/boxing-phs-giemel-magramo-up-against-tested-slugger-in-japan-world-title-fight">Boxing: PH’s Giemel Magramo up against tested slugger in Japan world title fight</a></li></ul>“Gigil na akong makalaban iyong Hapones. Matagal akong naghintay, nag-ensayo at nag-sakripisyo upang mabigyan ng pagkakataong ito. (I am very eager to fight the Japanese. I waited so long, trained hard and sacrificed a lot for this opportunity)” Magramo said Thursday on the eve of the fight from the Japanese capital.Both protagonists pack a punch with the 5-foot-4 Magramo, 26, sporting a record of 24 wins, 20 by knockout, and one loss; the 5-foot-7 Nakatani, 22, is undefeated in 20 fights, spiked by 15 KOs.The hometown pride’s last knockout victims were Filipinos: Milan Melindo and Philip Luis Cuerdo, whom he dispatched in the sixth and first rounds, respectively, last year also at Korakuen. The Filipino prizefighter is ranked No. 1 in the WBO flyweight rating, while his Japanese rival is No. 3 as they dispute the title vacated last February by Japanese Kosei Tanaka, who is reputedly moving up to a heavier weight division. They both made the 112-pound limit during Thursday’s official weigh-in, with Magramo making the grade at 111.5 pounds while Nakatani tipping the scales at 111.7 pounds.It will be a milestone match for Magramo, who will be the first foreign professional boxer to fight in Japan since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to promoter Liza Elorde.She is the daughter-in-law of the late Elordes and the wife of their son Johnny, Magramo’s chief trainer while the elder Magramo serves as his deputy.“We believe that bringing Magramo here is worth the effort and investment because the boxer has worked hard and hungry for a world title. Gutom siya (he’s hungry),” she said.Games and Amusements Board chairman Baham Mitra offered encouraging words to the boxer.“Once again we have a chance for a world title. We wish Magramo and the Elorde boxing stable the best. We hope that Gemiel is added to the distinguished list of Filipino world boxing champions,” Mitra said.“His victory during the pandemic will be a big push for professional boxing in the Philippines.” The Magramo bout headlines the card of revered boxing promoter Akihiko Honda, who nurtured the career of the late legendary World Boxing Association flyweight champion Masao Ohba. The boxer and his 5-person entourage have been living like hermits at the spacious Hotel Grand Palace, a 10-minute walk from the fight venue, and occupying its entire 22nd floor while being barred to leave the hotel premises until fight night.Johnny Elorde, who went with the Magramos, bared that even their gym is right inside the hotel and Magramo does his roadwork in the long alley on the floor where they are billeted. He disclosed that Honda was paying their floor a hefty $5,000 (approximately P241,650) daily plus another $1,000 (P48,330) for the gym. The Elorde couple recalled the hardships and anxiety they faced in giving Magramo a world title crack outside of the Philippines amid the present conditions under the pandemic. “Everything was day to day until last month when we heard from promoter Honda that the title fight will push through on Nov. 6,” Liza Elorde stressed. “We had to meet a lot of documentary and health requirements just to get Giemiel here.”<figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1395402" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>As for the game plan, Elorde said his camp would try to neutralize Nakatani’s height and reach edge by fighting close range, pressing and working on the body of the Japanese rival in a bid to avoid the fate of his last two Filipino foes. “Nakita namin iyong dalawang laban against Melindo and Recuerdo. Di naman sila lumalapit at naghihintay lang nga pagkakataon sumuntok (We saw the fight against Melindo and Recuerdo. They did not come near him and waited for him to punch,” the trainer said. “Kung makakasuntok at makakadistantisya (si Nakatani) mahihirapan talaga kami (if Nakatani can box and connect from a distance then we will have a hard time.)”But in the event Nakatani becomes aggressive and fights at close quarters, “mas maganda ang magiging laban. Iyon ang gusto ni Giemel at hindi magtatagal ito (The fight will be good for us. This is what Giemel wants and the fight won’t last).”He added that Magramo should not let his guard down and look out for Nakatani’s right straight and left uppercut “which are his best punches.”Mrs. Elorde said that bringing Magramo to Japan was an effort in trying to live up to the Elorde boxing legacy, pointing out that the boxer himself was keenly aware of the stakes involved. “If Giemel loses this fight, he knows it’s back to zero.”

Giemel Magramo of the Philippines battles Junto Nakatani of Japan for the vacant World Boxing Organization flyweight title in Tokyo on Friday night.

Giemel Magramo of the Philippines battles Junto Nakatani of Japan for the vacant World Boxing Organization flyweight title in Tokyo on Friday night.