By Carlos Costa

Former WBA interim light flyweight world champion Randy Petalcorin (29-3-1, 22 KO's) can look forward to a return to boxing action on June 9th in the Philippines, said Australian Peter Maniatis, co-promoter of the 27-year-old Filipino southpaw.

The fight is Petalcorin's first after losing out in a IBF world title battle to Nicaraguan Felix Alvarado in October of last year.

“Randy (Petalcorin) will be back a better boxer.   His IBF world title loss to Nicaraguan Felix Alvarado (34-2, 30 KO's) was a learning experience for Randy as he battled Alvarado, a man whom I rate as the # 1 champion in the Light flyweight division," Maniatis said. 

"However, to me, the fight of Petalcorin vs Alvarado was even till it was stopped.   That is why one Judge had Randy Petalcorin winning the fight, while the other two foreign judges from Great Britain and Mexico had Alvarado winning the battle.

"So to me, the fight was even, but then all the sudden it got stopped. Fans can watch the video on youtube and see who was winning the fight till stoppage came.

"In my mind, we should take the loss as a learning experience.  Because from now on, Randy will be a better fighter, more experienced.   That is why right now, he is in training for his June 9 return in his native Philippines. The opponent is still TBA.

"Because after his June 9 stay-busy fight, we are looking for big battles for him later on in this year 2019. That is why Petalcorin needs to keep on training well at Sanman Boxing Gym in General Santos City."

For years, Maniatis has been co-promoting Randy Petralcorin together with young award-winning Filipino promoter JC Manangquil, the CEO of Sanman Boxing Promotions.

Maniatis was also inducted into the Australia Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017.

“In my mind, promoters need boxers.   We need boxers as Randy Petalcorin and Andrew Moloney and others.  Because they are the stars.  They are the whole show.  They must always come first," feels Maniatis.

The author Carlos Costa is a Panama boxing reporter living in the Philippines.  Carlos can be reached at carlos512@hotmail.com and whatsapp/viber/wechat:   +639184538152.