WHAT DOES professional boxing contribute to the community? While it is true that pro boxing is violent and dangerous, and that even the most rigid safety measures don?t guarantee protection against death in the ring, still one can say that it does afford an economic opportunity for a certain number of people who are born to bitter poverty, people who are exploited because of educational deficits.
Pro boxing provides them with a way out. Manny Pacquiao, the most written-about athlete in the history of Philippine sports — and the richest — is a good example.
Still, not everything went dandy for some Filipino boxers (and their managers) who fell prey to the improprieties committed by sleazy promoters. Pacquiao and former world champion Luisito Espinosa are among the victims of these boxing rip-offs.
As most everybody knows, the impoverished Espinosa is still awaiting the full payment of his purse from the local promoters who staged his title fight in Mindanao more than a decade ago. For his part, Pacquiao had to go to court in New York to claim his rightful share from the proceeds of the pay-per-view deal from his former handler, the glib-tongued Murad Muhammad. And, there?s more.
Longtime international promoter and manager Jun Sarreal said that one of his former boxers, world-ranked and Philippine junior lightweight champion Tony Juma-oas, and himself were themselves victims of unscrupulous promoters many years ago.
?Juma-oas and I were not paid our purses,? recalled Sarreal, only son of the late boxing impresario Lope ?Papa? Sarreal and brother-in-law of the great Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde. ?As a result, I even had to shoulder the full payment of the purse due my boxer because the promoter (a certain Mr. Flores) did not settle his obligations with us.?
Jun Sarreal also claimed there was no surety bond, a requirement imposed by the sport?s ruling body, the Games and Amusements Board, to protect the boxers and managers in cases of non-payment by the fight promoters.
In another incident, this time in Caracas, Venezuela, Sarreal said former world flyweight champ Bernabe Villacampo also had to seek payment from another sleazy promoter, a certain Rafito Cede?o.
Boxing used to be a sport I loved. But I have virtually walked away from it in recent years because I have to follow my conscience. I honestly felt the boxers were being exploited and I wanted no part of it. After many years of covering fights and fighters, rubbing elbows with many of its luminaries, acting as a many-time local and international boxing judge, I felt I could no longer justify my association with the sport. I?ve had enough.
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UST GOLDIES CELEBRATE: Due to space constraints, I apologize to my esteemed friend, former Philippine Olympic Committee president retired Col. Julian Malonso, and to the other surviving members of the 1946 University of Santo Tomas Glowing Goldies for not being able to announce their diamond celebration scheduled yesterday at the Kamayan/Saisaki restaurant on EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue). UST won the 1946 UAAP varsity basketball championship.
Among the members of the team were Dr. Jose Genato, elder brother of Olympian Antonio Genato; RTC Judge Felipe Tongco, Tito Eduque, Edward Dee, Demosthenes Nagtalon, Francisco Vestil, former Pampanga governor Francisco Nepomuceno, Antonio Castillejo, Ricardo Siajuat, Ricardo Pineda, Malonso, Ramoncito Campos and Antonio Martinez. The coach was the dean of Filipino coaches, Herminio ?Herr? Silva while the moderator of athletics was a Spanish priest, Rev. Fr. Excelso Garcia, O.P., who translated the Roman version of the missal from Latin to Filipino, the first of its kind.
UST defeated Far Eastern University to win the 1946 UAAP championship. FEU was led by Luis Tabuena, the Araneta brothers, Manolet and Marciano; Dr. Benjamin Cruz, who later transferred to UST to finish his medical course; Jose ?Peping? Gochangco, Virgilio ?Baby? Dalupan, Jose Tuason, Cesar Burgos, Rafael Dimalanta and Manuel Pi?on. The coach was Prof. Jose Rocha, FEU director of physical education and grandfather of actor Ni?o Muhlach.
Third place went to National University led by former Makati City Mayor Nemesio Yabut, Rafael Roco, Oscar Ta?edo, Eduardo Mesina and Dr. Angelino Sunga. NU was mentored by Celerino Paguia Sr., husband of Letty Jhocson.
