Michael Landero Takes His Championship Fight Overseas
Michael ‘Wildcard’ Landero won the vacant OPBF minimumweight championship in Osaka on May 9, 2010. The Filipino boxer stopped Kenichi Horikawa in the ninth round, converting an overseas opportunity into a regional title at 105 pounds.
A Philippine foundation
BoxRec identifies Michael’s birth name as Michael Villarma Landero, his birthplace as Pontevedra in Negros Occidental and his hometown as Parañaque City. It lists regional and national championships, including the OPBF minimumweight belt and the Philippine Games and Amusement Board minimumweight title.
The OPBF breakthrough in Osaka
On May 9, 2010, Michael won the vacant OPBF championship by stopping Kenichi Horikawa in the ninth round in Osaka. Contemporary reporting described him hurting Horikawa in the sixth before the referee ended the contest three rounds later. The win brought his record at that time to 13 wins, four defeats and four draws, with three knockouts.
The opportunity followed a Philippine title victory over Rollen del Castillo in November 2009 and a successful defense against Roel Lagonero. Those results marked a progression from domestic championship competition to a regional belt abroad.
By February 2012, Landero was preparing for a bout in Mexico against Moises Fuentes. GMA News reported that he trained at the Rod Nazario Gym in Sucat under manager Rommel Nazario. The same profile described his father Johnny as a former amateur boxer who introduced him to the sport, and said Michael had competed in eighteen amateur bouts before turning professional.
Sources
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Michael Landero Takes His Championship Fight Overseas, Boxing, Combat sports
