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Braveheart

By Manny Piñol


Philboxing and the Bum Thread

PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 May 2012

Philboxing's "Bum" thread which pops out every time a Filipino boxer loses in an important fight is funny and hilarious.

Following Lorenzo Villanueva's sad loss to Indonesia's Daud Yordan last night, the "Pinol is a Bum" thread came out again.

It is irritating but I take it in good stride. I also understand how boxing fans feel every time a Filipino fighter loses and that could be the reason why they vent their frustration on boxing trainers and managers like me who they feel were responsible for the failure of the boxer.

But I really hope that boxing fans would realize that if they are frustrated at the loss of a Filipino boxer, the feeling is worse for people like me who have spent years of hard work and a considerable fortune to develop boxers to a level where they are believed to be ready for a world title fight.

If a boxer's loss is frustrating for people who have not contributed even a kilo of rice to feed the boxer, one can just imagine how painful it is for people like me who have poured so much money.

Last night, following Lorenzo's loss, I felt like throwing up and giving up boxing altogether. Scoring 0-3 in three world title fights involving the boys from North Cotabato who virtually grew up with me gives me a sickening feeling.

But while I could bear the pain of the loss and the brickbats on the "Bum" thread, it is revolting to see a post accusing me of corruption and for allegedly making money out of my boxers.

Here are pieces of information the boxing fans should know:

1. While all the boxers of the Braveheart Boxing Club stay and train in my farm in Kidapawan City where they have free food and other amenities, I do not get a share from their small purses when they fight local fights.

2. The local fights that we stage to promote these boxers are free to the public or sometimes we charge just a token ticket price of P50. I and my brothers chip in to stage the boxing events which sometimes would cost us P300,000 per show.

3. When they are engaged in big fights where their purses could range from $5,000 to $20,000, I only get 35% after deducting our expenses incurred during the fight. Other boxing managers would get 50% because the boxers stay with them. So far Braveheart boxers have only been involved in only 5 foreign fights.

I am sharing these pieces of information to make boxing fans realize that there is only one boxer who makes tons of money in the Philippines and that is Manny Pacquiao. All others are risky investments, if you will call them such.

In the past, I have been accused of running away with Luisito Espinosa's prize money in his fight against Carlos Rios simply because some misinformed philboxing.com bloggers thought that South Cotabato, where the fight was held, and North Cotabato, where I was Governor for nine years, are one and the same.

I have patiently explained that the Governor involved in that fiasco was Hilario de Pedro III of South Cotabato, not me.

This time, another blogger accuses me of corruption for allegedly using government money in propping up the career of Villanueva.

Did he even realize that I am no longer in government service, that I am just a farmer, journalist and boxing manager now? Did he even know that the grassroots boxing program which I started many years ago was for amateur boxing and not professional boxing?

And that even the amateur boxing program does not receive government support anymore since my term as governor ended in 2007?

Accusing me of corruption for helping boys like Lorenzo achieve their dreams using my and my brothers' money is something I cannot allow to pass.

I have asked Dong Secuya, owner of philboxing.com to identify the IP address of the blogger who calls himself "boxing aficionado" because I will ask my lawyers to file libel charges against him.

This reckless and malicious accusations made by bloggers hiding behind their computers must be ended now.

Let me repeat, the "Bum" thread is irritating but it is humorous and hilarious as well. I can just laugh it off.

But to accuse me of corruption is something I will seek redress for.

Even if the blogger hides behind letters and numbers representing his IP address, I will seek him out and make him pay for his unjust and cruel accusation.



Click here for a complete listing of columns by this author.

Click here for a complete listing of this author's articles from different news sources.

 



 
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