'Sixhead' and Mayorga to settle 'unfinished business'
By Steve Ninvalle
Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga has remained resolute about his predictions.
Stabroek News
March 13, 2002
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Last year, just before he met World Boxing Association welterweight champion Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis he had predicted that Lewis would be knocked out in four rounds.
This time Mayorga, who hails from the same country as legendary lightweight Alexis Arguello, has renewed his promise with vigor and now pledges to flatten his opponent inside three rounds.
Lewis meets Mayorga on March 30 at the Sovereign Centre, in Reading, Pennsylvania, a stone's-throw away from New York, where tens of thousands of Guyanese reside.
The fight promoted by Don King Productions is being billed as "Unfinished Business" as the two fought to a technical draw in July last year after a clash of heads.
"I said I would knock out Lewis in four rounds before our last fight, but it didn't get that far. I was in hostile territory at the last fight. I promise to fulfill my original prediction - three rounds," Mayorga declared in a release from his camp.
"After I rocked him in the first round (of the first fight) I knew it was only a matter of time before I was going to take him out - but he got saved. Nothing can save him in the rematch. I guarantee I will knock him out. It will be within three rounds," the WBA number one rated welterweight said.
"Only the strongest survive and I'm too tough for him and will be in even better condition than I was the first time," Mayorga warned. "I come from a country where everything is war. Even the women are tough."
Born in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, on October 10, 1973, Mayorga, who is now labelled as a fearless, hard-hitting, offensive-minded slugger, punched his way to winning 22 of 27 professional bouts.
His career has seen two high profile fights, the second being his clash with Lewis. The first, a fight against now International Boxing Association junior welterweight champion Diosbelys Hurtado in November 1999, also ended in a technical draw.
In July, the untested Mayorga seemed to gain the upper hand in the first round. Reports later indicated that Lewis did not stick to the fight plan laid out by his corner.
Mayorga, a brawler who has not lost since 1999, is not the first to express desire to leave the `Albouystown Cyclone' in a heap. Early last year former WBA welterweight champion James Page had ranted about bringing pain to the Guyanese.
Instead, "licks like peas" rained down on Page until referee Kenny Bayless stopped the carnage in the seventh round allowing the power-punching Lewis to become the first Guyanese fighting under the Golden Arrowhead to win a world title.
Lewis, three years older than the Nicaraguan, has the highest knockout percentage of a current world champion (82.6%). When contacted, Lewis' manager Nelson Fernandez scoffed at Mayorga's claims and reiterated that the challenger would not go past 10.
"I can't understand why he is saying this. Maybe he is trying to persuade himself or motivate himself. What I know is that he cannot intimidate `Six'," Fernandez stated.
"Yes, Mayorga landed a few good punches but so did `Six' and it was not `Six' grunting every time Mayorga hit him but I can't say the same for Mayorga who made a huge grunting noise after `Six' landed a good body shot. This time it is `Six' inside 10," Fernandez pledged.