June 13, 2009 (June 14, +10 GMT)  is set to be an exciting day for boxing. It marks an explosive match between Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey for the WBO Welterweight title.

The June 13 fight also features another title match in its undercard. The said match will feature WBO Light Flyweight champion Ivan Calderon against Rodel Mayol.  With this fight, Puerto Rico’s Calderon lays his title and his undefeated record on the line against the brawler Mayol of the Philippines.

Ivan Calderon (32-0-0, 6 KOs) is the heavy favorite of this fight. He is a technically sound fighter, combining solid defense and a huge repertoire of punches. Despite his small stature (height: 5′0”, reach: 63″), he has won convincingly over bigger opponents, giving up 5 inches in height and 3 inches in reach. What he lacks in size, he compensates with his hand and foot speed, and his accurate punches. He doesn’t have the most durable chin, but he makes sure that he doesn’t get tagged by moving his head constantly and side-stepping whenever his opponent becomes too aggressive.

Calderon only has 6 knockouts under his name, but that is a misleading figure. He can hurt his opponents with flurry of punches, but he doesn’t aggressively pursue his opponent even if the latter is visibly shaken or wobbly, as he prefers to let his points accumulate as the rounds go on. And he usually does win most of the rounds in his fights because of his crisp-looking punches and the fact that he comes out looking better in most exchanges.

Rodel Mayol (25-3-0, 19 KOs), in contrast, looks for a knockout at every opportunity. And because of his style, he is a very entertaining boxer to watch. He can hurt his opponent, especially with his left hand, but with his aggressive stance, he throws caution to the winds, at the expense of his defense. In his fight against Ulysses Solis, Mayol looked superb against the champion, until he was caught with his hands down, allowing Solis to land a clean right to knock Mayol out.

Mayol has been in a funk in his last few matches. After amassing 22 straight wins, he has lost three of his last six (two of the losses were failed bids to capture the title). Although he has a chance to knock Calderon down, the question is if his punches will land against the wily and technically-superior champion.  And unless Mayol he has suddenly found a remedy with his defense, his fight against Calderon might be his last chance for the big stage. This fight will most likely go in favor of Calderon, with a unanimous decision win.