Kidapawan City: North Cotabato’s first world professional boxing champion Edrin “The Sting” Dapudong gets into the tough phase of his preparation for his first title defense next week starting sparring sessions with two veteran and bigger junior featherweights.
Dapudong, 27, who will defend his International Boxing Organization (IBO) Junior Bantamweight title on Novembe 9 against former Olympian Zolani Tete of South Africa, has engaged as sparring partners Eric Barcelona and Mark Anthony Geraldo of the Lazarito Boxing Club from the neighboring province of Bukidnon.