THE sibling rivalry between Filipinos and Mexicans started way back to the time of Spanish colonization. It boiled down to boxing.
Filipino boxing greats Pancho Villa, Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde, Luisito Espinosa beat and were beaten by Mexican boxers.
The rivalry in the ring continued with Manny Pacquiao fighting Mexican greats Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.
And on March 19, it will be for a third time when the Filipino Destroyer faces Erik ?El Terrible? Morales.
Los Angeles
But before the much-awaited event takes place ? aspiring Filipino boxers will face Mexican opponents in a card dubbed ?Filipinas vs. Mexico? on March 12 at The Grand Olympic Auditorium at the 1801 S. Grand Ave. in Los Angeles, California, USA.
The card presented by Pex Aves Promotions in cooperation with Ring Mundial Boxing Promotions International will headline US-based Filipino ring veterans Vernie Torres and Gerry Balabagan against Mexican opponents.
Manny Pacquiao will make a special appearance in the card as he is scheduled to trade punches in a sparring match against an unnamed fighter.
Super-flyweight Torres will fight Salvador Casillas, while the junior middleweight Balagbagan will face Jose Juan Mendiola. Both will be for 10 rounds.
Torres, who is now based in Pensacola, Florida, parades a 26-6 wins-loss card with 15 knockout victories against journeyman Casillas, from Harrington Park, California, who has a 5-21 card.
The La Habra Heights-based Balabagan, on the other hand, hopes his 9-6-2 record with eight knockout victories will improve when he trades punches with Mendiola, who has a pathetic 2-12.
