Gone are the days of fighting in oven-hot town gymnasiums.  The hours of road travels and sleeping in dingy inns. No longer fighting in the shadows of bigger names, Richie Mepranum will have the stage all to himself.

On June 12, Philippine Independence Day, Richie gets a crack at world glory that his idol Manny Pacquiao has been basking over the last decade.

The 23-year-old father of one will try to win for himself a world boxing title against Mexican veteran Julio Cesar Miranda, a dream that started six years ago when he turned pro after winning a gold medal at the last Palarong Pambansa he participated in.

While he owns a very respectable record of 22 wins, a controversial loss and an equally questionable draw, Richie lived under the shadows of bigger-named world title prospects.

When he made his US debut fighting in the under card of the Pacquiao-De la Hoya super bout in December 2008, many dismissed him as a young upstart thrown into the lion’s den.  After all, he arrived just days before his scheduled fight.

But Richie shook off the jet lag and went on to win an impressive unanimous decision victory over American Cesar Lopez.

He followed it up with a close split decision win against Mexican Ernie Marquez a year later.

In March this year, he lodged the biggest win of his career by totally outclassing unbeaten Mexican knockout artist Hernan Marquez in a boxing card he top-billed a day before Pacquiao fought Joshua Clottey.

It was an impressive victory that lined him up for the vacant World Boxing Organization flyweight title.


Sweet counterpuncher

Richie loves to mix it up in the inside while keeping a wide southpaw stance to allow him wide latitude and see punches from his opponent where he could launch his counterpunches.

Eminent boxing guru Hermie Rivera says Richie owns one of Philippines’ best moves in boxing.

“He’s a stylist boxer,” Hermie says.

He might well be Philippine boxing’s best kept-secret.

“The kid is not afraid to get hurt in a brawl,” his manager Maasim Mayor Jojo Lopez says, who nurtured Richie back in his amateur days.

Richie also loves to fight in the corners and possesses the moves to drive his opponents to the ropes.  But he can also frustrate his foe with his superior defense.  Richie is not an easy target to hit squarely and has a fairly strong chin.

Do not be fooled by his low knockout ratio – he only has five stoppage wins – Richie has the power to knock down a careless boxer.

Former world bantawmweight champion Gerry Peñalosa says Richie power could be developed as he logs more quality fights.

“Magaling na bata (A good kid),” Peñalosa described the rising superstar from Sarangani.

He once told Mayor Lopez why the manager is ‘hiding’ Mepranum. “Nganong ginatan-ugan man na nimo (Why are you ‘mothballing’ him)?”

Lopez has his own reasons. Rather than risk Richie’s career fighting upcoming boxers, Lopez says he and his ward chose to bide their time and the time has come.

Clean fighter

The young father is one of the most disciplined boxers in the country today.  He does not smoke or drink.  Even without a scheduled fight, he continues to burn himself inside the gym and out on the road.

He has maintained his fighting weight over the last five years.

His title fight against Miranda is just his third fight since last year, but the experience he got fighting in big ticket cards before a world audience has boosted his confidence.

Mayor Lopez said Richie could have declined the Hernan Marquez fight last March as the latter was not the fighter he was supposed to trade punches with.

But Richie was determined to make his mark.  Even if Marquez possessed an impressive unbeaten record, Richie took the gamble.  And it paid off.

In accepting the Miranda fight with barely two weeks notice and fighting in a hostile country, Richie is showing his courage and determination to win a world title.

As he always said, he will go for broke.

Richie will surely not disappoint – time to reward the kid for his bravery, courage and humility.