BUHAIN PROPOSED A PACQUIAO BOUT IN CEBU

For the record, it was Games and Amusements Board chairman Eric Buhain who broached the idea of bringing Pacquiao to Cebu for a much-awaited showdown with a foreign foe.

Last April 27, Buhain planed in to personally witness two big boxing events here--the Randy Suico and Dindo Casta?ares title defenses held in Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City, respectively.

Upon arrival at his hotel just a stone's throw away from the airport, Buhain, who was with his two commissioners Angel Bautista, Alex Paglumotan, and boxing division chief Emmanuel Flores and this writer, chanced upon international matchmaker Narong Hengtrakul at the lobby of the Waterfront Hotel in Mactan.

Hengtrakul, a well-travelled lawyer-boxing personality, shared to the group his experiences in Thailand as far as tourism and boxing are concerned. It was at this juncture that Buhain, citing the Thrilla in Manila, announced the possible staging of a Pacquiao fight, which he said can be held at the newly-developed South Reclamation Project of the Cebu City government.

Buhain figured out that while the Thrilla in Manila featuring Muhammad Ali against Joe Frazier in 1975 generated the kind of attention that it did even without a Filipino fighter in it, the GAB chairman believes that with Pacquiao in the equation, it will be another historical event.

"As long as President Arroyo supports it, everything will be fine. We will then tap the private sector to cooperate," Buhain stressed, while mentioning two or three giant corporations that will be a lock to support the event.

A few hours later, Pacquiao paid a courtesy call on Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osme?a, and one of the questions raised by the chief executive to Pacquiao was his next fight. Pacquiao, when told by this writer of Buhain's earlier plan, told Osme?a that a Cebu fight will be very likely.

Promoter Rex "Wakee" Salud, who accompanied Pacquiao, then readily agreed that a Cebu bout would have tremendous effect on the tourism project of the country.