Dubai: Ana Julaton is perhaps one of the biggest personalities in Filipino boxing after the legendary Manny Pacquiao. The double world champion, who trains in San Francisco, USA, certainly wants to make her popularity count when she takes on the challenge of Malaysia’s Ann Osman on Friday night.
She will be one of the headline acts in One Fighting Championship’s (One FC) ‘Reign of Champions’ at Dubai World Trade Centre. Born Luciana Bonifacio Julaton, the Filipino fighter was the first to win the Women’s WBO Super Bantamweight and IBA Super Bantamweight titles. Nicknamed The Hurricane, Julaton is also the quickest boxer ever to win a world title, having fought just five previous professional bouts before claiming the IBA Super Bantamweight title.
On Friday night, she will be relying on her superior pedigree when she opens the preliminary fights with the defence of her Flyweight crown against her Malaysian challenger Ann Osman. She has 13 wins after 18 fights, of which two were by knockout, including her last one on her One FC and MMA debut against Aya-Saeid Saber in May this year.
After Julaton decided to turn pro, she was part of veteran coach Freddy Roach’s group of fighters along with Pacquiao and former world champion Gerry Penalosa. She signed a contract with One FC to fight in women’s MMA. Julaton holds two black belts, one in taekwondo and the other in bok fu — an aggressive martial arts system that combines the five animals of Saholin, namely the tiger, crane, panther, snake and dragon.
“Having the Filipino crowd supporting me will be an ace up my sleeve. But I have spent more than ten years in this sport, and I know fully well that I am all alone once I step into the ring,” Julaton told Gulf News after weighing in at 56.65kgs as opposed to Osman’s 56.2kgs.
“This is my career. I breathe boxing and live boxing. I am no flash in the pan. I am here to win and keep my belt. It doesn’t matter what they bring before me. I am ready,” the 34-year-old said.
Her challenger, though, is unfazed with all the pre-fight talk. “I started three months back and I never stopped training for this fight. I am in the best physical and mental shape,” Osman said.
“My opponent has a really strong striking background and she has been an extensive fighter, but that doesn’t stop me from challenging myself. I may go in as the underdog, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t win,” she said.
