CHICAGO – Only 4,469 fans showed up last Saturday night at the Arco Arena for the World Cup of Boxing, which the Philippines won over Mexico with elegance and authority, 5-1.
Although the attendance was thin in Golden Boy Promotions standards, there wasn?t a lack of star power among the crowd who gathered for the HBO offering.
Lennox Lewis, the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, graced the World Cup with his illustrious presence. He came as lead analyst for HBO?s Boxing After Dark (BAD) crew.
Now retired at 41, Lennox, the 6-foot-5 Brit from Canada, looked like he could still whup some ass. Lean and mean, he sported his patented corn rows with a pony tail. Lennox sat directly in front me, and two bodyguards shadowed him.
Oscar dela Hoya watched all the fights from his reserved seat at Arco Arena. He was easily the star of the night, wowing the crowd with his movie star looks and charming demeanor.
Of the Pinoys who paid good money to see the World Cup, many were Cebuanos, or Bisdaks.
An ex-PBA player stood out. He towered at 6-foot-3 and he wore a pair of bright yellow Lacoste shirt. It was fellow USJ-R alum Dondon Ampalayo. I interviewed Dondon and found out that he still plays a little ball and that he now works for a dialysis center in California.
LA-based Juvie Cabigon, my best pal and former Cebu City Sports Commission exec, also came to root for Boom-Boom and Team Philippines.
An acclaimed dresser, Juvie looked splendid in a dark blue Hugo Boss suit. He wore Perry Ellis shoes and a light blue Lacoste long sleeves beneath his jacket. He looked like a walking fashion boutique.
Juvie sat at ringside, steps away from the action.
Two of LA?s more famous denizens were also sighted at Arco Arena?Julius Tan and his buddy, diving instructor Bebot Mercado. Julius and Bebot hosted the Sinulog party Boom-Boom and other ALA fighters attended last January in Los Angeles.
There was also an Ofelia Cruz sighting. The sister-in-law of Engr. King Cole, a Cebu City Hall powerhouse, Ofelia was among the beautiful roses in a sea of thorns at ringside.
Paul Miaga was there, too. The ex-aide of both mayors Alvin Garcia and Tommy Osme?a enjoyed the action. Donning a new hairdo and now living near San Francisco, Paul enjoyed all the fistic action.
I also met Bernyl Balangauan and his brother-in-law Pramod Anchuparayil, a computer software engineer. I introduced them to all the ALA fighters at Denny?s restaurant, where they took pictures.
Bernyl is the son of Col. Bobby Balangauan, my distant uncle on the Sayson side. Both incurable boxing nuts, I?ll meet Bernyl and Pramod again at the Pacquiao-Barrera rematch on Oct. 6.
The Philippine media was in full force for the World Cup.
I came, of course, representing Sun.Star Cebu and dyAB, which did a live blow-by-blow coverage. I was joined by Anthony ?Duljoman? Andales, a broadcast rookie who looked regal in his Barong Tagalog with hand-painted artwork of fighting cocks engaging in a dance of death.
Dong Secuya, the owner of Philboxing.com, clicked pictures with gusto. His work graced several national and local dailies, including Sun.Star Cebu.
The prolific Salven Lagumbay and Recah Trinidad represented CDN and the Inquirer, respectively. My literary idol, Recah and I shared a room at the Best Western Sutter House for three nights.
ABS-CBN sent Sev Sarmenta and Nonito Donaire for their coverage, with Dyan Castillejo rounding up the solid broadcast team. Dyan, as usual, was easy on the eyes. Clad in a vintage Filipina dress, she was Maria Clara with stiletto heels and lip gloss.
MIKE AND MIKE OCLEASA. Greetings to Day-as Barangay Captain Michael Ocleasa Sr., a Sun.Star Cebu subscriber and confessed fan of Second Overtime.
Mike?s son, Mike Jr., who now breathes the Toronto, Canada air, shares the same habit, albeit reading Sun.Star through the Internet.
A piece of advice to Mike Jr: Subscribe to our e-paper. Doing so allows you to read Sun.Star Cebu in actual newspaper form, which means you can view my photo-ops every now and then in the sports pages.
Subscribing to Sun.Star Cebu?s e-paper costs just $1 a day, $3.90 a month, $19.90 for six months and $29.90 for a year. Wow, I haven?t seen such bargains since Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1867.
