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Philippines, 06 May 2024 |
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PHILIPPINE BOXING YEARDENDER (PART II) PhilBoxing.com Sat, 31 Dec 2011  Manny Pacquiao?s success continues to generate a positive influence on Philippine boxing. More local government units are sponsoring small professional fight cards and amateur contests for their annual fiesta celebrations. There was also an increase in the number of big fight cards this year. PINOY PRIDE has blossomed into a hugely popular big fight franchise for ALA Promotions, with six editions held in Cebu and two in Bacolod City. Pinoy Pride IX was one of the two world championship fight cards held in the Philippines this year. Boxing as a component of the tourism industry is something that we should look seriously into. Last October 29, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan hosted a big fight card featuring seven titles. This was staged as a parallel project for the campaign to include Palawan?s underground river as one of the new seven wonders of nature. The Philippines won six of the seven bouts, the lone loss suffered by Dado Cabintoy by 11th round TKO at the hands of Hiroki Shiino of Japan. The rest of the Filipinos beat their Thai counterparts - Jose Maxian W KO2 Thepsamuthr Duanaay-Mukdahan (interim WBC Youth Intercontinental super featherweight title), Jaderes Padua W KO2 Manopnoi Singmanasak (interim WBC Youth Intercontinental super bantamweight title), Renan Trongco KO2 Sirisak Sitjarem (vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental lt.flyweight title), Cris Paulino W UD10 Danai Meendaeng (vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental flyweight title), Gabriel Altarejos WUD10 Gawna Sorsirisak (interim WBC Youth World super flyweight title) and Vergel Nebran KO1 Petchunan Sithpandeang (interim WBC Youth Intercontinental bantamweight title). Local television played an active role in promoting boxing matches. ABS-CBN aired PINOY PRIDE, SOLAR SPORTS has ISLAND ASSAULT, GMA TV has ?Laban ng Lahi?, and NBN continues to broadcast IN THIS CORNER. AKTV has also shown its share of local bouts. GMA TV also launched a reality boxing series and tournament, ?BUHAY BOKSINGERO? in Cebu. The show had a competition in five weight categories and also highlighted the struggle of our boxers to escape the depths of poverty. TI Cebu Gym emerged as the best stable with their boxer, Bobbie Sentillas emerging as another young talent to watch together with Jobert Alvarez of the Donaire stable. The now retired former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa tried his hand as a promoter with his nephew, Dodie Boy Penalosa,Jr as the flagship for ?DUGONG KAMPEON?. MORE PINOY BOXERS GETTING BREAKS ABROAD Filipino boxers continued to fight in non-title contests in the United States with Mercito Gesta landing a contract with Top Rank Promotions. We also had wins on U.S. soil from Rodel Mayol, Michael Farenas, Marlon Tapales, Denver Cuello, Dennis Laurente, Allan Tanada, Fernando Lumacad, Bernabe Concepcion and Richie Mepranum. Ciso ?Kid Terrible? Morales was one of the sixteen contenders in the WBC Champions Challenge or ?Reto de Campeones?; a reality show hosted by Mapi Entertainment in Mexico. But he had to settle for a first round technical draw against Gregorio Torres of Arizona. HE?S BACK! Prodigal boxer ?Marvelous? Marvin Sonsona returned after an almost twenty month hiatus and beat Carlos Jacobo of Mexico by ten round unanimous decision at the Hoops Dome in Lapulapu City. Fans hope that they will not have to wait for another year before they see the former WBO superflyweight champ in action again. AMATEUR BOXING The biggest win accomplished by a Filipino amateur boxer was courtesy of Eumir Felix Marcial last July. Marcial won the first ever gold medal for the Philippines in the AIBA world junior boxing championships in the 52 kg division. Charly Suarez (men's lightweight) , Dennis Galvan (men's lt.welterweight), Alice Kate Aparri (women's lt.flyweight) and Josie Gabuco (women's pinweight) won gold medals in the 2011 South East Asian Games in Indonesia. The lone spot for concern was that only Mark Anthony Barriga has secured a slot for the London Olympic Games. We hope that we can have more boxers earning a trip to the Summer Olympics in the next qualifying tournaments. BEST LOCAL FIGHTS: ROMEO JAKOSALEM TKO 8 STEVE CLAGGETT (3-19-11) Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino -This fight goes down as the best because it had everything ? pre-fight animosity, in-fight action and controversy. Jakosalem was on the B-side of this match against a rising Canadian prospect. A shoving match ensued between the two during the weigh-in. -On fight night, Jakosalem started cocky but went down twice due to body shots in the 3rd. Claggett seemed headed for an easy win but in one final act of desperation in the 8th, Jakosalem willed himself to go forward and pinned Claggett on the ropes and landed a hail of punches. -Clagett was trapped in the neutral corner receiving punches and trying to cover up when referee Teddy Alivio signalled the end at the 1:28 mark. There was a smattering of boos from those who thought the stoppage was premature with the Canadian still on his feet. -Every fan and sportswriter who saw the fight wants to see a rematch. MARLON TAPALES WUD 10 MOBILE MARTIN MUBIRU (10-9-11) Panphil B. Frasco Memorial Sports Complex, Liloan, Cebu -My second choice because this was a pleasant surprise. We all thought Mubiru was just another visiting African who offered minimal resistance. But the Japan-based Ugandan could switch from a southpaw to a right handed stance and matched Tapales? skill and speed. -Tapales dropped Mubiru with a body shot in the 4th and with a right hook to the head in the 7th. In between Mubiru continued to fight back and stun Tapales with hard combos. Points were deducted from Mubiru due to headbutts as Tapales fought with a cut on the right eyelid from the 7th. Tapales tried to finish Mubiru in the 8th but the Ugandan hung tough and tried to mount his own last ditch rally in the 9th and 10th. Tapales? defense and counterpunching managed to hold off Mubiru for the hard earned win. The scores did not reflect the intensity of the struggle ? 97-89, 96-90 and 96-90. BEST KNOCKOUTS: Jason Pagara gave us two memorable KO?s both at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino this year: KO 1 BILLY SUMBA (1-29-11) ? a highlight reel knockout made for television. Pagara used a left hook to the jaw and Sumba stiffened and toppled like a log. Medical personnel rushed to the Indonesian?s aid and he regained consciousness minutes later. KO 4 JUAN CARLOS GALLEGOS (6-11-11) - Pagara had trouble with his range and timing. Gallegos scored early and a hematoma formed under Pagara's right eye in the 3rd. An upset seemed imminent, but in the fourth stanza, Pagara fired a sharp left hook that shook the Mexican and followed up with a quick one-two combo which deposited Gallegos into the canvas with saliva shooting out of his mouth. It was supposed to be a breakout year for Pagara but he lost on points to Mexico?s Rosbel Montoya last September 10. EPILOGUE Boxing as a brand is booming but we can always do better. At the grassroots level I have seen amateur bouts in small towns with substandard equipment and even the ring was unsafe. This is one area we need to improve on. I?m sure we can spare a few pesos for sports. For the past four years, three names ? Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire and Donnie Nietes ? have been consistent at the world championship level. Brian Viloria has had his ups and downs but had a wonderful upturn this year. But another Filipino boxer needs to step up and win a world title. The likes of Rommel Asenjo, Johnriel Casimero, Arden Diale, Jether Oliva and Edrin Dapudong came up short this year. Filipino boxing fans hope that 2012 will be better. There is also the long overdue Olympic gold to think about. If it happens in London, it will reinforce the claim that Philippine boxing is in the middle of a golden age. 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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