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FORMER WBC flyweight champion Malcolm Tuacao plans to see action sometime October.


Tuacao, who became the WBC flyweight champion with a 7th round TKO win over Medgoen Singsurat in Thailand in 2000, relinquished his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight title recently to give his fellow Filipinos a chance.
Im training hard here in Japan. I know I will become a world champion again, Tuacao told Suljosblog.com from his home in Kobe, Japan.


My promoter plans a big fight for me in October. I dont have the details of it, but I know it will be a big fight. I am preparing hard for it.


The 33-year old pride of Mandaue City in Cebu is training under his Japanese promoter/manager Masato Yama****a.


Tuacaos OPBF title will be contested in another All-Filipino bout between former titlist Rolly Matsu****a Lunas and Jerope Mercado (aka Zerofit Jerope Zuiyama) on July 31 at Sambo Hall, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.


Lunas dethroned Tuacao in 2007 with technical decision win but also relinquished the title after making four successive defenses.


Russian Alexander Bakhtin captured the vacant title and also gave up the belt, a chance that Tuacao took to reclaim the crown with 12 round split decision win over hometown boy Seung-Suk Chae in Mungyeong, South Korea in February last year.


Tuacao, a father of three children, earned a good amount of money from his three title defenses against Japanese Kohei Oba, Hidenobu Honda and Daigo Nakahiro.


I work hard for my children. My eldest will soon go to college, while I also have two sons to support, so I need to save money, said Tuacao, referring to his 14-year-old daughter and sons, aged 11 and 9.


Tuacao, who has a menacing 28-2-3 records with 17 knockouts, is ranked No. 7 by the most respected WBC, No. 11 by WBA, and No. 9 by IBF.


The OPBF ranked Mercado (23-1-3, 8 KOs) and Lunas (28-8-1, 16 KOs) its top two contenders in the division. But Lunas is heavily


ROLLY LUNAS aka ROLLY MATSU****A
favored to win his third title having better knockout percentage, 43.24%, compare to Mercados 29.63%.


Lunas became a two-division OPBF champ when he beat veteran Wethya Sakmuangklang of Thailand for the super bantamweight title with split decision over 12 rounds in January 2009.


But Mercado, 31, is no pushover. Hes unbeaten since 2007 after losing by TKO against Philippine super flyweight champ Eden Sonsona and suffering a split draw for the WBC International bantamweight title fight in South Africa against Vusi Malinga.


Tunacao said, Mercado has a big chance to beat Lunas.

Of course, he (Mercado) has a chance (to win against Lunas). It defends on his training, he said. He must be careful because Lunas has edged in experienced. It will be an exciting fight.


Tunacao admitted he eyes WBC super flyweight champ Tomas Rojas, but he knows the Mexican has other plans and the WBC may stripped him the title due to its refusal to fight Suriyan Por Chokchai on August 19 in Thailand.


Rojas is asking the WBC to let him fight in Vera Cruz in September.


HERES the reprinted news release from the WBC today, July 20.


Javier Altamirano, manager of world champion of the WBC super flyweight, Tomas Gusano Rojas said to have had direct communication with Mr. Jose Sulaiman, who assured him that the Veracruzan may not be recognized as the WBC champion in the event that his company Zanfer does not sign the contract for the fight against Thailand Suriyan Por Chokchai.


Javier Altamirano said Tomas Rojas had initially contemplated fighting in Veracruz against an opponent to be determined, but the World Boxing Council ordered that the third defense of world title would have to be carried out in Thailand in a series of festivities in honor of king of that country.


The point that is being debated here is that until today, his company Zanfer has not signed the bfighters contract, The World Council wants Tomas to fight in Thailand, but in order to do that they need the contract, I contacted Alejandro Brito, who is the president of Zanfer but he is unresponsive and if does not sign, Tomas Rojas may be not be recognized.


Thats why the fighter from Veracruz should wait to see what agreement is reached with his company, Zanfer and the World Boxing Council, It is up to the two of them, Tomas is willing to fight anywhere, but he must have a signed contract .