By Hector Villarreal

WBA "regular" word featherweight champion, Jamaican Nicholas “The Axe Man” Walters (23-0) departed to Macau, China, on Wednesday morning, after completing ten weeks of preparation in Panama for his title defense scheduled for May 31 against former two division world champion, Armenian Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (39-6-1).

 

“I´m very excited confident and motivated because this is a very important fight so I want to thank my manager Mr. Jacques Deschamps and my promoter Mr. Bob Arum and Top Rank," said the Panama based champion.

 

About the southpaw stance of his challenger, the “The Axe Man” added: “Since I arrived Panama as an amateur almost six years ago I have sparred with some of the best left handed boxers in the world, I mean the WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno and former world champion Ricardo “El Maestrito” Cordoba so I don´t think Darchinyan will show me something that I have not dealt with before”.

 

For this fight Team Walters imported southpaw Nicaraguan Orlando Rizo whose aggressive style, speed and strength makes him very similar to the Armenian. Rizo shared the sparring role with Panamanians Hernan Cortez and Manuel Largacha.

 

Walters travels with his main coach Celso Chavez and father/trainer Job Walters.

“This is a very important fight for Nicholas because six of the best featherweights of the world will perform on the same card so he will demonstrate that he belongs to this elite group”, said his manager Jacques Deschamps reached by phone at his home in Haiti.

Conditioning coach, Jesus Rodriguez Del Sol, from Cuba , is very confident as is head trainer Celso Chavez about Walters´ chances to defeat Darchinyan. “Nicholas travels in a very good fighting condition which will help him to use his boxing skills and punching power. We have been working three days a week at the University of Panama gym and track for two months so he will be strong and fast entering the ring”, Rodriguez said.

Walters is expected to arrive at Macau on Friday. May 23, where he will have a couple of sparring sessions with Japanese southpaw bantamweight Yusuke Suzuki.