INTERNATIONAL Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight champion Rene Mark Cuarto defends his title against Mexican Daniel Valladares on Saturday at Monterrey in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
It will be the second title defense for the 25-year-old boxer from Zamboanga del Norte, who tipped the scales at exactly 105 pounds with the 28-year-old Valladares also posting the same required weight.
“I’m ready to fight in any given situation,” said Cuarto, who was tasked to defend his belt on a week’s notice. “I will do my best to give the challenger a tough fight despite the short preparation. But that’s fine.”
Cuarto (20-2-2 win-loss-draw record with 11 knockouts) expects Valladares to be a hungry challenger after his title fight with former Filipino IBF champion Pedro Taduran wound up a technical draw last February 2020.
Cuarto has already proven himself over Taduran whom he beat twice—a unanimous decision on February 27, 2021, in General Santos City and a seventh-round technical knockout last February 6 in Digos, Davao del Sur.
Cuarto is accompanied by trainer and coach Nonoy Neri.