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Philippines, 30 Jun 2025 |
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??Ring? it again Sam!? By Epifanio M. Almeda PhilBoxing.com Mon, 11 Feb 2008  Salven L. Lagumbay?s report on the successful holding last Saturday of the card top billed by a fight for WBO Asia Pacific Youth and WBO Oriental super-bantamweight titles at the Mindanao Civic Center in Tubod, Lanao Del Norte brought to mind a significant line spoken in a movie I enjoyed some years ago. After the well known singer finished his beautiful rendition of a love song to the spontaneous heart-warming applause of the enthralled audience, one of the singer?s friends seated nearby asked the thrilled singer, ?Sing it again Sam!? Being a Mindanaonon, though now based in Luzon, I am glad Sammy Gello-ani is now also promoting momentous fights in Mindanao. When I had the chance to talk with Sammy last year, he related his successful promotional activities in the US. Now Sammy just rang the boxing ring bell of, as Salven puts it, ?the first-ever major boxing card in this part (Lanao del Norte) of Mindanao?. When I was just a new boxing judge, I got amused by fighters introduced in the ring as coming from the various places in Metro Manila where tagalog is spoken. I expected them to be from Luzon. I got amused since, during the fight, the seconds give instructions to their fighters either in Cebuano, Ilonggo or Waray-waray. Cebuano, and the like versions, is a language spoken or understood in many parts of the Visayas and Mindanao. To my added amusement, I heard the same Cebuano, Ilonggo or Waray-waray instructions in the ring corners when I was judging in San Pablo and Baguio Cities. Of course, there are fighters from Luzon but many who are now regulars in the Metro Manila rings are from the Visayas and Mindanao. There are just many opportunities for fighters in Luzon than in Mindanao. Hence, prospective fighters had to travel to Luzon to realize their dreams to have regular fights in the ring. And not all had the guts to risk the costly trip to Luzon. What I?m saying is that there might have been some potential Manny Pacquiaos who failed to become Manny Pacquiaos as they did not dare what Manny Pacquiao of yesterday did to become the Manny Pacquiao of today. Teenager Manny travelled from Mindanao to Luzon moneyless. What followed in Manny?s life is history. 
From left, WBO Vice-President Leon Panoncillo, Samson Gello-ani and Lemuel Yap, during the open forum held at Jethro's Best Restaurant in Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte on Feb. 8, 2008 to discuss the welfare of boxing in Mindanao. With Sammy Gello-ani coordinating and encouraging local promoters to hold regular cards in Mindanao, potential world beaters may be discovered and polished like a gem right in Mindanao. Having rang the boxing ring bell which ushered in ?the first-ever major boxing card?, boxing will again thrive in Mindanao. Being ?the first? there will be succeeding promotions in the days to come. Now, when I think of Sammy Gello-ani, I could not disassociate the movie line ?Sing it again Sam!? I can imagine Sammy as the singer and the song is his boxing promotion. Hence this request to Mr. Gello-ani. ??Ring? it again Sam!? Click here to view a list of other articles written by Epifanio M. Almeda.  |
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