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Philippines, 20 Apr 2024 |
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Column -- Good things happen to those who wait (PHOTOS) By Homer D. Sayson PhilBoxing.com Tue, 05 Nov 2019  CHICAGO -- Small beads of sweat begin to form around the temples of Jerwin Ancajas. As the soft, cool Santa Monica Bay breeze blows, the champ lunges at a phantom foe, rippling countless combinations. Pak, pak pak. He ducks, weaves, and with the grace of a ballerina, fires more punches. Boom, boom, boom. It's a mid-afternoon weekday at Perry Park in the city of Redondo Beach, California and the 27-year old Filipino is all set to defend his IBF super flyweight title for the eighth time in the peeling days. 
It's all systems go for Jerwin. He will make weight, easily. And he will beat his challenger, highly probably. It was a fight that did not happen last Sunday. Although not canceled altogether, the anticipated showdown was postponed to December 7 in Pueblo, Mexico. You've heard of KO and TKO in boxing. This one is a PSC --- Promoter Stops Contest. Apparently, Jerwin's opponent, Jonathan Rodriguez, did not get his U.S. visa released in time for the Mexican challenger to acquire a medical clearance in the state of California. 
"Disappointed, devastated," Alvin S. Go, told this writer. Go is the official photographer of Team Ancajas. But no job is beneath him when it comes to team work. He can easily transform himself from gifted lens man to dishwasher, short order cook, and ready assistant. When the need arises, he can be an Alvin of all trades. While he feels a knot on his stomach over the delay, Go is comforted by the thought that it's just a bend in the road, not the end of the road. After all, sacrifice and suffering is a "path to greatness," so said the Samurai warrior. 
Still, Alvin thinks about the hard work that was shed for three months in the Philippines and the 17 days they trained in Redondo Beach as camp reached its peak. Those moments, snippets in time, are forever lost. And time is important to all fighters whose career all exist on borrowed time. But this postponement will not blunt the memories. It will only enhance the learning experience. Without a fight, Jerwin doesn't get a purse. And without that payday, Team Ancajas members also suffer some hardship because the champ pays them a healthy salary for their rendered services. But those fears quickly turned into cheers when Sean Gibbons came to the rescue. "MPP takes care of it people," Gibbons, the president of Manny Pacquiao Promotions told PhilBoxing. "The fight is rescheduled to Dec. 7. I am advancing money and everyone will get paid. No big deal." For Alvin, life goes on and he flew home from Los Angeles last night, back home and swiftly into the arms of his family's warm embrace. 
But he will miss the company of trainer/manager Joven Jimenez, assistant trainer Farnando Parcon, cutman Todd Makelim and nutrinionist Jeaneth Aro, arguably the best calorie counter in our side of the world. They were a close-knit group, pulling on the same rope. With prior commitments dotting his calendar for the upcoming Southeast Games (SEAG), Alvin isn't sure whether he will be in Mexico for the rescheduled title fight. But wherever fate will take him, Alvin S. Go will always be rooting for Jerwin, whom he considers a good boss, a devoted family man, and one hell of a champion. Editor's Note. The author is a regular columnist at SPIN.ph. He started his career as a newspaper reporter in 1993. He is the former U.S. editor of NBA.com Philippines and is currently the U.S. editor of Sports on Air. Sayson, who considers boxing a first love and basketball a beloved mistress, also has a regular NBA segment at "Power and Play with Kom Noli" hosted by former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala every Saturdays at Radyo Singko FM. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Homer D. Sayson.  |
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