With her previous setback to 39-year-old boxer Lisa Brown all but history, Fil-Am boxer Ana Julaton wants to move forward and show she has learned her lessons. "I always try to take every fight, whether it's a win or a loss, as a lesson and try to grow from it," said said Julaton. Her first step was a major one –replacing her previous trainer Nonito Donaire Sr. with the hottest trainer in the circuit today, Freddie Roach. Everybody in the boxing business obviously knows Roach as somebody who makes his boxers look good. Roach originally trained Julaton when she first turned professional, but split amicably with the lady pug following her first defeat at the hands of Domingo Olivo in August of 2008. Although Julaton won the vacant World Boxing Organization super bantamweight title with Donaire Sr. in her corner, she felt Roach’s presence would bring her back to the style that best suited her. "They have contrasting styles," explained the 29-year-old Julaton, 6-2 (1 KO) of Daly City, California. "Nonito Sr. wants his fighters to throw long punches and use your footwork. Freddie's style is very aggressive, throw lots of combinations and work your angles." Whether Roach will make a noticeable change in her game is one of the questions that Julaton will answer when she attempts to regain the WBO title she had once held this Wednesday, June 30 against Maria Elena Villalobos at the Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada. Angelo Reyes, manager of Julaton, saw one noticeable aspect in Julaton in her reunion with her old mentor. "Confidence," said Reyes, referring on the important aspect which the four-time BWAA Trainer of the Year brought quickly to Julaton. "Freddie Roach is the Bill Walsh of Boxing. He has a way of not only giving the right strategy to dominate a fight, but he has an aura about him that gives the fighters confidence.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV "For example, Ana was sparring with Kaliesha West. Ana and Kay are scheduled to go ten rounds of sparring this particular day and Ana was doing well fighting through an accidental thumb in the eye about the third round. Freddie had not come back from his appointment yet and we were in the middle of round seven." "Freddie walks in and talks to Ana during the 30-second break and you saw an instant change in Ana's demeanor and attitude heading into the last three rounds of that sparring session." Upon returning to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, Roach and Julaton resumed their journey together to return to championship glory. Roach admits that he didn't like everything he saw. "Her power is a lot better, but she's a little long with her shots and we need to shorten them up," said Roach, who was one of the biggest reasons for the transformation of Manny Pacquiao from a one-dimensional boxer to becoming the best pound-for-pound fighter in the business today. "When she fights at long range, she leaves herself open too long. We're working to make her a more complete fighter. "Sometimes, she gets caught up in the fight mentally and she doesn't perform quite as well as she can in the gym. We need to get her confidence up and get her mental game more intact." Villalobos, a native of Mexico, may be the fighter to expose any mental shortcomings that could arise within Julaton. In a nine-fight career that has taken place exclusively south of the border, Villalobos has fought comparable opposition, but lost to her best opponents. Her recent setback came against Marcela Eliana Acuna (33-5) via a 10-round unanimous decision. "She's coming in there for a world title fight," said Julaton. "She's game and wants to win." Billed as “Laban ng Pinay", Julaton vs. Villalobos, the fight will be broadcasted by GMA-7 on a tape-delayed basis, beginning July 4, at 9:05 a.m. in Hawaii; 12:05 p.m. in US PDT; 3:05 p.m. in US EDT; 4:05 p.m. in Italy; 5:05 p.m. in Saudi Arabia; and 6:05 p.m. in UAE. It will also be shown on July 11 at 11 a.m. in Hong Kong and Singapore; 12 p.m. in Japan and 1 p.m. in Australia. -
RCJ/OMG, GMANews.TV 
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