WHEN Fil-Am boxer Julian Santos Chua suffered an injury on his wrist after arriving to Los Angeles, he had two choices ? go back home to Indiana and rest or stay in LA and train.
?I decided to stay here,? he said to the Asian Journal. ?I have too many luxuries at home, but not here. I wanted to struggle. My goal is to reach the [2012] Olympics and raise the Philippine flag so people can be proud to be a Filipino.?
Chua is a 19-year-old with lofty expectations, but like his advisor and boxing man Herme Rivera said, ?he has the will to win.? Staying here to train at the Wildcard Boxing Club with legendary trainer Freddie Roach and work on other aspects of his fight game is a perfect example of that will.
Before the injury, Chua from Lafayette, Indiana won the Indiana State Golden Glove Award in the middleweight division in 2009.
Now, he has his eyes set on a larger prize, one that no Filipino has ever accomplished.
?I?m working hard to deliver the first gold medal to the country and I promise to do my best and give my all,? said Chua, who has a 9-0 amateur record.
The Philippines has never won an Olympic gold medal ever in history. Many Filipinos believe that the best way to win a gold is through boxing, arguably the country?s national sport. In Olympic history, the Philippines has been a bridesmaid in boxing – winning two silvers and three bronze medals.
In the 2008 Olympic games, only one Filipino boxer qualified — Harry Tanamor, in the light flyweight division. He was defeated in the round of 32.
But in recent years, with the rise of pound-for-pound great Manny Pacquiao and Filipino champions like Nonito Donaire Jr., Brian Viloria, and others, there?s been a resurgence and push in the country?s amateur boxing program.
Former PBA announcer Ed Picson took over as Executive Director of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) with the emphasis on developing the countries young boys and girls; competing in more amateur international competitions; and recruiting Filipino boxers worldwide ? like Chua – to round out the team?s higher weight divisions.
One of those competitions occurred last month in Maywood. Members of ABAP competed in the Blue and Gold amateur boxing tournament, one of the largest amateur tournaments in the US held last September 2-5.
The members of Team Philippines dominated. Picson entered seven competitors in five different weight divisions. Led by 22-year-old lightweight Charley Suarez, the results were impressive – five first place and two-second place trophies. Suarez was voted as the top boxer in the Blue and Gold tournament that fielded 220 boxers.
?The ultimate goal is the Olympic gold,? said Picson to the Asian Journal at their hotel room in Bell Gardens where the team was staying for the tournament.
?We cannot guarantee anything. There are no sure things in boxing?the only thing we can promise is that we?ll work real hard.?
Chua was set to make his Los Angeles fight debut in that tournament but the injury derailed those plans. He instead trained with the team as the others prepared for the tournament.
?I was pretty mad at myself not being able to fight at that tournament but I don?t want to risk my career for one tournament,? he said. ?But I did train with them every morning and it gave me a real sense of what they are about. Chua is expected to be sidelined from rigorous training until mid-November or December, which wroks well for him, since Roach will be busy training Pacquiao.
Chua said the injury on his wrist has been a blessing in disguise. He relies so much on his natural power that he often neglects the other skills and techniques in boxing.
?My focus is mainly balance, keeping my weight underneath me, putting my legs close together,? he said. ?My punching has always been there now I?m working on footwork and learning how to reposition after a pivot and just staying balanced.?
?There?s so much to a boxing match that you don?t know unless you?re a boxing fan,? he added. ?There?s a lot of grace, finesse and skill and technique.?
Herme Rivera, who has managed former world boxing champions Filipino Luisito Espinosa and Morris East, said Chua has the makings of a champion.
?He has all the tools,? said Rivera, who expects Chua to compete in the light middleweight division in the Olympics. ?His strongest asset is his heart. He is courageous and determined.?
?Once he gets fully healed, I?ll bring him to the Philippines and enter him in the qualifying tournaments,? said Rivera.
Chua is currently rooming with light middleweight contender Michael Medina, who is helping Pacquiao train for his Nov. 13 fight against Antonio Margarito.
Chua said this is it for him. He knew when he was younger that he wanted to be a boxer. Now that he?s a boxer and doing it, he?s going all the way and doesn?t expect anything less of himself.
?I have no regrets this is what I want to do every single day,? he said. ?I know it?s hard work but when I walk in the Wildcard, there?s a certain vibe in the air, it makes me want to work harder and be part of them.?
?My goal is to deliver the gold and that?s what I want to do for the Philippines.?
