Short of staging a full-scale coup, boxing guru Hermie Rivera threw a few left hooks Tuesday in a frantic bid to send a Fil-Am prot?g? to Baku, Azerbaijan, to seek a possible slot in next year?s London Olympics. Hermie clearly connected. As a result, the case of 19-year-old Julian Santos Chua had been scheduled for decision in an emergency meeting set at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club yesterday afternoon. Thanks, however, to Sen. Gringo Honasan, Rivera might just get what he wanted without having to fire a single covert shot. * * * Hermie went all the way?by hook or by coup, by crook rather?but was prevented on his fiery tracks by the cool control of a trusted ally in Sen. Gringo. Gringo, witty, hefty and aglow like a monument of his heroic self, placed a call from his Senate office back of the Cultural Center to the Philippine Sports Commission across Roxas Blvd. shortly after lunch Tuesday. The original People Power hero got happily linked. So, after a cup of excellently brewed Batangas coffee, Hermie rushed on his way to a meeting with PSC chair Richie Garcia. * * * It?s like this. Hermie was deadly convinced he has a patriotic duty to help send Julian Santos Chua to compete for the Philippines in the next Olympics. Chua, who won the 2008 Golden Gloves middleweight gold in Indianapolis, has been given the thumbs-up by several experts. Hermie said no less than world premier trainer Freddie Roach has given Julian the nod. Julian also got evaluated by members of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines coaching staff who gave the fighter a passing mark last year when the promising simon-pure showed up at the Wild Card Gym. * * * Unfortunately for Julian, he just could not make that big leap forward and try out for the national pool. Something would always crop up whenever he would ask to be given a crack. Anyway, the Abap said the main issue besetting Julian was his citizenship. ?It boils down to the citizenship issue, he holds an American passport,? Abap executive director Ed Picson told this reporter upon returning from abroad Monday. But the thing that ultimately got Rivera?s goat was a snide taunt from one popular sports columnist. Rivera was asked to put ?his money where his mouth is.? He was dared, ?in as much as you?re so sure of qualifying Chua,? to pay for the guy?s stint in Baku, ?then the PSC will reimburse you,? in the event Julian qualifies. * * * Here?s what happened at the PSC conference room where chair Richie Garcia, handsome in white shirt-jacket and matching signature silver locks, received Rivera after lunch Tuesday. Garcia assured Hermie he has seen Chua on tape and was himself impressed. Rivera assured that was a crude, smaller version of Chua who has since grown six feet and has been training in earnest at the Wild Card Gym around Hollywood. Rivera also told Garcia that Julian has, in fact, gone six rounds with Manny Pacquiao sparmate Shawn Porter, who assured the Fil-Am prot?g? ?has got the goods.? Well, there was nothing truly clear as we went to press. But Hermie has reason to feel like a come-from-behind winner at the Masters in Georgia as he balloons to one-over-par 73 today. Chair Garcia, swearing the citizenship issue was a no-brainer, has vowed to send Julian Chua to Baku?not necessarily by hook or by coup.
