By REYNALD MAGALLON
Filipino pug Dave Apolinario finally earned a world title shot after the International Boxing Federation ordered a fight between him and Mexican boxer Angel Ayala for the vacant IBF world flyweight crown.
American champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez was the last one to hold the crown but decided to vacate the title to move up to junior bantamweight division, paving the way to the title showdown between the two still undefeated boxers.
IBF said the two camps have 30 days from March 28 to talk and reach an agreement.
The 23-year-old Ayala sports a perfect 17-0 record with seven knockouts, including a close unanimous decision win over Nicaragua’s Felix Alvarado in October last year to become the mandatory challenger to the IBF title.
Apolinario, on the other hand, is ranked No.3 in the IBF list – thanks to a fourth-round knockout victory over Thai boxer Tanes Ongjunta in Osaka, Japan last Feb. 22.
The pride of General Santos City overcame a third round knockdown and caught Ongjunta with a whistling straight that completely turned the tables. Apolinario finished off his Thai counterpart with a booming right uppercut.
Should the fight pushes through, it will be Apolinario’s first crack at a world title in the four major boxing organizations. He is also ranked first in the WBA list.
He also previously held the International Boxing Organization flyweight crown.
Like Ayala, Apolinario, who is fighting out of Sanman Promotions of JC Mananquil and co-managed by Mike Pelayo is also undefeated through 20 fights with 14 KOs
