Can Mexico’s Giovanni Segura Beat Puerto Rico’s Ivan Calderon Again?

Segura winced during this 2008 bout with Canchila, and after, as he pondered the reason he lost. Because he knew he didn't train properly. He says that won't happen again. (Hogan)

Few prizefighters below 118 pounds pack any kind of punch but Giovanni Segura is readily dismissing that as a myth of giant proportions.

With knockout always on his mind, the WBO and WBA junior flyweight world champion Segura (26-1-1, 22 KOs) has just entered the pound for pound rankings and is eager to prove his worth in a rematch against former pound for pound fighter Ivan Calderon (34-1-1, 6 KOs) of Puerto Rico.

The rematch takes place on Saturday April 2, in Mexicali, Mexico and will be shown on pay-per-view television.

Once again the fight pits Mexico versus Puerto Rico. Calderon is one of the quickest and most skilled boxers in any division. It won’t be easy, but Segura remains confident.

Ever since losing in 2008 to Colombia’s Cesar Canchila, the Mexican from Altamirano, Mexico has reloaded with a new philosophy: always be in shape.

“I wasn’t in shape the first time we fought,” admits Segura who lost in Las Vegas. “I learned my lesson.”

In their rematch eight months later, a primed Segura who did the roadwork, trained vigorously and prepared with fire in his soul steamrolled Canchila from the start. Knockdown followed knockdown and though the Colombian fought with heart, it wasn’t enough to offset the power overload coming his way through Segura’s fists. It was a savage beating.

“That showed what I can do when I work hard,” said Segura, who trains at Azteca Boxing Gym on Bell.

Richard Mota, whose family runs Azteca Boxing, said Segura has entered the elite level of boxing these past two years.

“You can see it in his eyes,” said Mota.

Despite weighing less than 110 pounds, Segura packs serious firepower in his small frame and knows it.

“I’m trying to put people away,” said Segura, who has 22 knockouts in 28 pro fights. That’s pretty close to Ricardo “Finito” Lopez kind of numbers.

But realistically the WBO and WBA champion fights more similarly to Puerto Rico’s legendary Wilfredo “Bazooka” Gomez.

In Gomez’s heyday, he was a scary bantamweight who eventually moved all the way up to junior lightweight. You could pick your poison with Gomez, the left or the right would put you down.

Segura has that same kind of power.

“I want to move up in weight after this fight,” said Segura, adding that he fought at higher weight classes early in his career. “One day I discovered I could fight at a lower weight so I did.”

If successful on Saturday against Calderon, the Mexican bomber seeks multiple titles in different weight classes.

“From now on I’m never going to take it easy,” says Segura.

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