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Philippines, 16 Dec 2025 |
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Arizona Boxing News & Notes with Don Smith: Soldier/Photographer Shares Wild Card Experience By Don Smith PhilBoxing.com Fri, 17 Apr 2015  Photos Courtesy of Arizona Boxing News & Notes: Juan David Velasquez and Ronaleen Omega...Manny Pacquiao Media Workout, April 15-Wild Card Boxing. Boxing Fans, 19 year old Specialist 4th Class Ronaleen Omega is an Army Reservist who is going to Afghanistan in August of this year after 3 months of readiness training. She follows in the footsteps of her Father who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a measure to maintain family harmony, Ronaleen has a brother, Roneel who is 13. Ms. Omega was born at Fort Bragg Base Hospital in North Carolina. Her father is a career military man (Army) and both of Ronaleen?s parents (Shirleen & Ronald) were born in the Philippines. She has avidly followed and admired the boxing career of Manny Pacquiao since his second fight with Juan Marquez and she plans to watch the May 2 Mayweather/ Pacquiao PPV fight in Phoenix at her parents? home which is considered a going away party for Ronaleen; she leaves Arizona on May 17. Upon hearing about Pacquiao?s scheduled Media Workout at Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Ronaleen contacted me and volunteered to, at her own expense, shoot pictures of the event and ask questions if television crews would allow her the opportunity to do so. In the world of sports media, television is the big rooster. I told the polite but excited young woman, I would try to acquire a press credential and if granted, she would represent Arizona Boxing News & Notes. She bugged me occasionally about my promise, but it wasn?t a nagging type of request; and I accepted the ?humble? reminders with grace. For those readers who know me, with grace may be an exaggeration. 
Two days before D day, she called with a little bit of concern in her voice. I told her my contact with Top Rank was slow in approving our mission. She understood and said: ?if I can?t go, I can?t go.? Her response motivated me to formally send a media credential request one more time; bingo, we were in with one catch; Top Rank granted ?room for one? and my contact sent a second email message: ?doors open at 12:30 pm? on Wednesday, April 15. Ronaleen was relieved when she heard the news, but she wanted to make one modification to the edict. Her suggestion was to take a second photographer (Juan David Velasquez), a high school classmate whom she considered a more experienced shutterbug. I agreed knowing that she (a typical teenager and photographer) would do what she wanted to do, anyway. Why shouldn?t she have the final word, the trip covered 379.5 miles (one way) and if she traveled at an average speed of 66 mph, the trip would take 5 hours and 44 minutes without a break; keep in mind, Ronaleen isn?t shy on the accelerator and her fuel bill exceeded $60.00 each way. The Trip from Phoenix began around midnight on the 14th, Ronaleen drove her Jeep and Juan David kept her awake as they spent the majority of their travel time talking about strategy and how they would get Juan David in; since he wasn?t on the prestigious and envied Media Workout list. 
The adventurous duo arrived in Hollywood at 5:30 am. Tired, they decided to check into a Hollywood Inn Express ($100.00) at 10 am that was located 20 minutes away from the famous Wild Card Gym, boxing home of Hall of Fame Trainer Freddie Roach. At 11 am, Ronaleen and Juan David left their temporary lodging and headed for the gym, arriving at 11:20. At 11:25 they left a gated entrance and lined up where other members of the press were gathered. At 11:50, a person(s) started passing out ?Manny? T shirts, Ronaleen and Juan David received one each; Ronaleen would later buy another souvenir T shirt. 
At 12:10 PM, the media lines were separated into genre categories: Television, Radio, Print Media and social member representatives. I was told that media guests came from around the world including, the Philippines, Great Britain, USA, Sweden, Canada, China, Germany and Mexico. The Philippines sent Television Networks TMC and GMA to cover the event while the United States had countless members of the media present. Ronaleen and Juan David were placed with the social media group even though Arizona Boxing News & Notes is written by an established journalist and recognized as a column, not a blog. According to Ronaleen?s emailed report, the crowd became restless and even more so when Manny P arrived in hi sleek Black Mercedes. He was driving with his window down unveiling himself to the waiting fans and members of the media that were still waiting outside. Ronaleen emailed me to tell me that she got the perfect paparazzi shot, one that TMZ would use in a heartbeat. After Manny?s arrival, tensions started to mount and despite her emailed invitation, Ronaleen was still outside, wondering why she wasn?t allowed to do her job, after all, Manny was allowed to conduct his business; why not Ronaleen? A direct call from one of Manny?s personal security team to let all members of the press in- fell on deaf ears; the detention continued. 
She began to panic and I wasn?t home or near my cell to answer her urgent 911 like calls. Finally, her calls reached me and I called the gym twice and emailed two key event movers and shakers. They must have taken note because Ronaleen was allowed in with other retained members of the innocent and credentialed press corps and Juan David was also admitted. At last my team could start working. At 3:17 pm Juan David and Ronaleen were working and taking pictures of Manny and Trainer Freddie Roach. At 4 pm, the fighter affectionately known as ?Pac Man? stood front and center of Ronaleen and Juan David and the click, click sound from their cameras was music to their ears. Once inside, Ronaleen was flattered with a suggestion that she enter a Miss Filipino contest. She smiled, said thank you and then continued on her mission of covering the event. She mildly complained about everyone asking the same questions and tried mightily to ask secondary personnel questions, but they clammed up out of fear of losing their jobs, or so it seemed. At 4:45 pm, Arizona Boxing News & Notes left the gym and found a Mexican Restaurant to fulfill their well-deserved need for nourishment. After a walk on a nearby beach and a respite from their challenging experience, the two friends left Santa Monica at 9 pm and headed home to Phoenix. There is more drama. Ronaleen gets sleepy when she drives at night, so she departed the highway to gas dup and stretch a bit. While she took the brief detour, a dodge pick-up rollover accident happened on the highway and stalled traffic for at least an hour and Ronaleen feel asleep during the wait and were awakened by multiple blasts from the bodacious sounding horn of a semi -truck parked directly behind the two tired photo journalists. They arrived in Phoenix after 7 am and soon went into a crash mode after emailing their work around the world. I would like to thank Ronaleen and everyone who had a part in securing their cre3dentialsw and allowing them to complete their mission. Parting Shots: I want to mention that Ariel Arismendez, young Arizona Olympic boxing hopeful, received her Associate Degree at age 16 which is quite an accomplishment. Don?t forget her benefit golf tournament is on the horizon; call 1-800-928-4785 for more details?.2015 Cinco de Mayo boxing on May 2-3 will be held near the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix under a 40? x 40? canopy. The Sheraton is located at 340 N. 3rd Street in Phoenix, Arizona. Admission price before 5 pm is a very modest $5.00; come later if you want to pay more. Please make sure, you soak up all of the Cinco de Mayo festival events including musical offerings by diverse artists such as: Ginuwine, Tower of Power, Sir-Mix-A lot & Jay Perez aka the voice. The annual festival has a bit everything; so don?t be late and bring a date??Until Next Tkime Click here to view a list of other articles written by Don Smith.  |
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