Cebu Boxing gets a big boost in the next weeks with no less than three world championships involving Cebu Boxing. First up is Pinoy Pride 21 on Saturday, July 13, when Merlito Sabillo (22-0, 11 ko?s) of the ALA Boxing Gym defends his WBO Minimumweight championship title against Jorle Estrada (17-6, 6 ko?s) of Colombia at the Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino in Pasay. Next up is ALA?s Milan Melindo (29-0, 12 ko?s) who goes for the WBO flyweight championship when he challenges another Estrada, current world champion Juan Francisco Estrada (24-2, 18 ko?s) of Mexico on July 27 in Macau. Estrada is the same tough Mexican who won the belt from former world champ Brian Viloria. The third world title fight involving Cebu Boxing doesn?t feature a Cebu-based boxer but will be held here in Cebu courtesy of RWS Promotions of Rex ?Wakee? Salud. WBO bantamweight champion Paulus Ambunda (20-0, 10 KO?s) of Namibia defends his title against Tomoki Kameda (27-0, 18 KO?s) of Japan at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino on August 1. A fourth milestone that should also be cited is the fact that ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports, the prime movers behind the Pinoy Pride series and the rise of ALA?s world champions, have renewed their partnership for another ten years.
What does this all mean for Cebu Boxing? It surely means a lot. Not only is Cebu Boxing proving that it?s the hotbed of boxing in the country. It?s showcasing to all that we?ve already reached world class or international levels through our boxers and promoters. For us boxing fans, we should consider ourselves lucky to be part of all this. I can still remember how Cebu Boxing was all about local fights with local boxers and events held at the Cebu Coliseum. Rare were world championship fights and our boxers going overseas for fights. Fast forward to today. ALA Gym has two world champions in Sabillo and Donnie Nietes (WBO light flyweight division) while ALA Promotions has staged world championship fights for the WBO. Should Sabillo win on Saturday and Milan win on July 27, AL will have a sweep of the champions of the lightest weight divisions: minimumweight (105 pounds), light flyweight (108 pounds) and flyweight (112 pounds).
But first things first. Sabillo will have to win his first title defense against the tough Colombian. Estrada?s record and #6 world ranking with the WBO don?t look impressive on paper, but this is a perfect opportunity for Estrada to score an upset. All he has to remember is that the last world title fight promoted by ALA Promotions in Manila saw AJ ?Bazooka? Banal losing to Pungluang Sor Singyu at the Mall of Asia Arena (MOA). If you?re superstitious, the Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino isn?t too far from the MOA. I hope this doesn?t mean anything for Sabillo?s side. Moreover, there will be pressure on Sabillo to win as he defends his title on home soil. With the high expectations of Pinoy fans, the next few days it will be stressful for Sabillo. So throw away his cell phone and lock him up to focus on nothing else but boxing. Sabillo is easily the least known among the country?s top boxers, but Pinoy Pride should take care of that. Having won his title overseas didn?t create much of a buzz in the sports world and fighting here should help introduce him to sports fans who don?t know him.
And who doesn?t know Melindo? Milan has been waiting very patiently on the wings for that chance to win a world title. While Viloria reigned, Milan settled for tune-up fights to maintain his ranking and they didn?t actively pursue a mandatory fight against a fellow Pinoy. But now that Viloria has stepped down, it didn?t take long to set up Milan. It was by no coincidence that Milan fought in the undercard of the Viloria-Estrada fight that was held in Macau. His impressive KO win over Tommy Seran was his ticket to July 27 (also in Macau) with no less than Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions pushing for the fight. The Macau fights for Milan and other Cebu boxers like Genesis Servania and the Pe?alosa brothers is the perfect opportunity for Cebu Boxing to spread its wings. Macau is now a next door neighbor option versus Las Vegas or Mexico. With Top Rank serious about invading the Asian market via Macau, where else to go but Cebu Boxing? Sure, China will be the main event, but how many world class boxers do they have? We expect Cebu to provide the real action and outdo China in this department.
Which brings us back to Cebu for a world title fight but without Cebu boxers? Call it ?weird? but that?s Cebu Boxing for you. Wakee Salud?s connections with the Kameda boxers and their managers is the ?fault? for this, and it?s another proof that Cebu Boxing is doing something right.
And lastly, another ten years of Pinoy Pride? Another ten years of ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports working together? What else can we say but bow? ABS-CBN, being based in Manila, could?ve tied up with a Manila-based promoter (and there are many of them), but they chose to go with a ?promdi? promoter from Cebu. Chance, accident? Luck? Call it whatever you want. Cebu Boxing is here to stay. And we?re leaving the rest of the field behind. >>> Time-out: You can reach me at [email protected].
