Z Gorres, the Filipino fighter who lapsed into a coma on the eve of Manny Pacquiao’s destruction of Miguel Cotto last year in Las Vegas, is on the road to recovery, a respected Los Angeles-based observer of the fight game has told the Bulletin.
Orthodontist Ed De La Vega, known for customizing Pacquiao’s mouth guard, revealed that Gorres, who collapsed after winning a ten-round decision over Luis Melendez of Colombia on November 13 at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, “is doing very well.”
“I was in Vegas early today for a short round trip to visit Gorres. I am glad that I saw his progress,“ wrote De La Vega in an email.
“In fact he could sit on a chair already instead of just being in bed all the time. He did not lose his faculties.
He recognized me instantly. He speaks very softly owing to the throat tube he had for a while that affected his vocal cords but that is no big deal as that should heal in time.”
De La Vega, who had also made mouthpieces of Gorres and countless other Filipinos fighting on US soil, was amazed by Gorres’ recovery.
“For a guy that went through what he did, his healing progress was remarkable,” added De La Vega.
Top Rank, which promotes the Cebu-based southpaw and his management team headed by boxing benefactor Antonio Aldeguer, are shouldering Gorres” skyrocketing medical bills.
