WHO would have imagined big-time boxing promoters would come to Cebu to look for young and promising talents?
“Thanks to Manny Pacquiao, he opened up the doors of opportunity for every Filipino boxer to be given US fights,” said boxing godfather Antonio Lopez Aldeguer.
Executives of the Golden Boy Promotion (GBP), Eric Gomez and Sampson Lewkowicz, arrived the other day to meet with Aldeguer and promoter Sammy Gello-ani in their search for new boxing stars.
ALA Boys
Aldeguer said Golden Boy, an outfit owned by Oscar “Golden Boy” de la Hoya, is interested in Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista and Z Gorres.
“But their attention is not only limited on the ALA Boys but to all Filipino boxers as well. You will hear the big news tomorrow (today) during the press conference that will be covered by sports reporters from the entire country,” Aldeguer said during the Scoop-Cebu forum at Baseline Restaurant yesterday.
Gomez and Lewkowicz flew from Las Vegas, Nevada just to sign up Cebuano boxers for their next promotions.
Gomez is the vice president, while Lewkowicz is the matchmaker, they will also be at ringside this Saturday, when Gorres fights for the OPBF super-featherweight belt against Thai Waengpetch Chuwatana.
De la Hoya bought the outfit from Roy Englebrecht Promotions in Dec. 21, 2001 and renamed it Golden Boy Promotion.
His vision is to help the growing population of Hispanic boxers in the US as well as other boxers from all over the world.
GBP already has 130 boxing promotions since it started on Jan. 17 2002 and has promoted Filipino fights, including the first comeback bid of Louie Espinosa and recently, Randy “Kumo’ng Bato” Suico’s fight against Javier Jauregui in September last year.
Ironic
If Gomez and Lewkowicz come up with a solid deal with the ALA Boxing gym, Cebuano boxers are expected to be lined up in one of the four Golden Boys Promotion cards slated this year.
“It is ironic because we have turned down Golden Boy Promotion offers before. But after we canceled the March 31 fight for Bautista for the Top Ranks Promotions, it opened up the doors again for Golden Boy. And it will be a great privilege for our boys to be lined up with the great boxers that have signed up with them,” added Aldeguer.
