People are at times bound to journey the trails of destiny; and with it we sometimes end up to the place of our dreams and more often than not to the place of our downfall.
The dream has been shattered; he will no longer become a world champion but scanning through the pages of Philippine boxing history, he would safely emerge as one of the best procedural fighters that the Philippines has ever produced. Z “The Dream” Gorres, 27, packs no power of a Manny Pacquiao in his hands that can send his adversaries across the squared ring to dreamland, but his fans had drawn delight over his well-planned and precisely calculated right straights and left crosses. His brainy cat-like style of fighting, the archetypal hit and don’t get hit, has brought him unto the high podium of boxing when he fought for the WBO World Championship in the Super flyweight division against the brawny and hybrid champion Fernando Montiel in 2007 at Cebu City, Philippines, Gorres home turf. Montiel was actually receiving a fine boxing lesson from the Filipino, but in retaliation the Mexican managed to snick a number of well-thrown and stinging shots that reduced Gorres in the survival mode in the last pair of rounds. However, many boxing observers from around the world believed Gorres effort was sufficient enough to earn the win, but as fate would have it the decision went to Montiel. From thereon, the popular resident of Mandaue City gradually relaunched his claim to the world title throne for his division until that fateful evening of November 13, 2009 when he was embroiled in what appeared to be an easy fight for him, but became ill-fated to be caught in the very last 30 seconds of the 10 -round skirmish with a very potent blow from his Columbian rival Luiz Melendez. The good – natured and friendly Filipino fighter was able to defeat the count and went on to win the fight, but unexpectedly collapsed in his corner, thereby rushed to a nearby Las Vegas hospital. The fallen prize fighter was without delay put into medically induced comma and had a part of his skull opened in order to remove a blood clot. In God’s grace, Gorres is now in hopeful recovery condition but will never fight again. His patron, the philanthropic Antonio Aldeguer, owner of the renowned ALA Boxing Gym in Cebu City has made it clear that Gorres fighting career has come to its eventual but premature end, but is welcome to work with them, most probably as a trainer to the new breed of young and determined fighters that the ALA Gym has been nurturing in order to make champions of themselves one day, like Manny Pacquiao, while on the side note the Aldeguers shape their fighting flock into becoming responsible citizens of the c
Despite the heart-breaking failure on his first attempt at the world title, his superb boxing faculty was without question capable of propelling him to another crack at the world title. And most likely capture it. But what if Gorres had after all decided not to join the professional ranks by staying in the amateur ranks that compete for the Philippines in the SEA Games, Asian Games and the most prestigious Olympic Games? Gorres being extremely hard to hit while himself hitting by the bundle was perfectly tailored for a highly promising conquest in those prestigious international amateur competitions where the system of gathering points as quick and as much as possible is the primary tool in winning the fight. It is noteworthy that winning a gold in the Olympics is far prestigious than winning a world title in professional boxing, save for its golden era where there was only one recognized champion in each division. In its decade – long quest for the ever elusive gold, the Philippines is yet to win it in any sport category. Does this tiny country stand any chance at the gold? Well, Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco was close to winning it at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta for the light-flyweight division. Definitely, the Philippines’ brightest chance for the first Olympic gold is rested in boxing. This archipelagic island nation is teeming with world class pugilistic talents whose fighting aptitudes suit very well at the amateur competitions. It is good to take note that in boxing, professionals are not necessarily better than amateurs, and making mention of the best talented Filipino boxers who could possibly bring the first gold for the Philippines, Z Gorres would have been one. But for the obvious reason he chose to register in the professional category – it was for the greener pasture. Nevertheless, many fans had been delighted by Gorres exciting presence in professional boxing and were eagerly hoping to see him crowned a world champion. For a fact, it was apparent that he could win the dream belt eventually had the “gloomy event of November” not befallen him; albeit having him possibly captured the historic first gold for the Philippines in the glorious Olympic would have been more admirable for him and the country. But then again, people are at times bound to journey the trails of destiny. Or perhaps if the Philippine government is serious in their quest for honors in the arena of global sport competition – in the Olympics in particular, then they ought to make their effort a notch higher, like doling out a descent stable salary for the amateurs in order to prevent some of them from joining the athletic exodus headed to the more lucrative but perilous professional ranks.
