Duno to receive 'hero's welcome' motorcade in GenSan on March 22

KNOCKOUT ARTIST. Romero Duno has become a hot property in the lightweight division after his destructive knockout win over "Chimpa" Gonzalez. Photo by Jhay Oh Otamias/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines - Fresh off his star-making knockout win in Los Angeles, Filipino boxer Romero Duno will receive a hero’s welcome in General Santos City on March 22.

Duno (13-1, 12 knockouts) made a name for himself last Friday, knocking out previously unbeaten Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez in two rounds on a card promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. The 21-year-old from Tagum City now holds the World Boxing Council’s Youth Intercontinental lightweight title.

Duno, alongside promoter Jim Claude Manangquil of Sanman Promotions, will arrive in General Santos City at 9 am aboard a Philippine Airlines flight. Afterwards they’ll drive through town on a motorcade before meeting with Mayor Ronel Rivera.

Duno had left his studies as a marketing student at University of Mindanao at age 17 to become a pro boxer, training alongside world-rated contenders Randy Petalcorin and John Vincent Moralde. Since December, Duno had trained with former WBC junior flyweight champ Rodel Mayol at the Wild Card Gym.

Mayol believes Duno will be a champion within the next 5 fights.

“He is the young GGG,” Mayol told this writer, referencing the undefeated middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. – Rappler.com