For being bullied as a child because of the colour of his skin, Dubai-based Filipino boxer Larry Abarra, 29, toughened up and learned to defend himself on several street fights. Then a neighbour from his hometown in Subic, Zambales, noticed his punching power and encouraged him to put his skill to good use.
Larry went up the ring as an amateur boxer at age 16. He fought around 40 bouts at the municipal, national and international levels before deciding of turning pro five years ago. He only managed a draw against his first professional opponent but a couple of months later he defeated the same boxer in a rematch and scored an impressive knockout win.
Since then it has been a long and arduous boxing journey for Larry. He was on and off the boxing ring. To date, he only had a total of eight fights, including five wins (four of which via KO); two losses and one draw.
But his last two fights were very impressive. He sent both his opponents - Indonesian Tony Arema (at the Pinoy Pride 32: Duel in Dubai last year) and Thai pugilist Chansaknoi Sak (in June this year) - to the canvas under one minute in the first round.
This made Larry think that his dream of reaching even a fraction of his idol's stature, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, may not be far fetched after all.
Pacquiao, a sitting Philippine senator and future boxing hall-of-famer, will have his 66th professional bout on Sunday morning (UAE time) in Las Vegas, Nevada while Larry, a boxer-trainer at Round 10 Boxing Club in Al Quoz will have his ninth bout as a professional at Ahdaaf Sports Club in Al Quoz 4, Dubai on November 18 against veteran Isaac Nettey from Ghana in the super bantamweight division (118-122 pounds/ 54kg-55kg).
"After this fight, I will have two more fights and maybe I have can have a crack at a Continental championship belt," Larry told Khaleej Times.
Larry said he is relying on his devastating left hook, which he used against Arema and Sak, to score another knockout win although he is also not discounting the possibility that his fight will go the distance. If that happens he said he has the stamina and he's been getting ready for it.
"I'm dedicating my fight to my two-year-old son and wife. I want to become a world champion some day," said Larry, who came to Dubai in 2013 and has been under the tutelage of Ahmed Siddiqui, owner of Round 10 Boxing Club.
But aside from showing his son a championship belt, the initial motivation of Larry to become a world champion is to be recognised by his father.
"My father, an African-American and a US serviceman who was stationed at the former American military base in Zambales left me and my mum," Larry said "I grew up knowing no father, but I did not have any regrets. I have my own family now and a lot of brothers who are my stable mates at Round 10."
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