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Philippines, 02 Nov 2025 |
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VGOV. PINOL SEEKS RELEASE OF GONZALES, MARAON FROM TOP RANK PhilBoxing.com Sat, 01 Nov 2008   Gonzales, Maraon. Featherweight Glenn "Rapid Fire" Gonzales and bantamweight Jundy "Pretty Boy" Maraon, who were earlier signed up by Top Rank boxing promotions, are flying home to the Philippines Nov. 12 to take a few fights before aiming for the national boxing titles in their respective divisions. North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pinol, the boxers' manager, said he decided to bring home the two boxers after they failed to get the fights promised to them by Top Rank in a contract which they signed last year. "I have emailed Bob Arum (Top Rank president) and Todd duBoef asking them to release us from our contractual obligations with them because they failed to give the boys the 4-fight a year commitment in the promotional contract that we signed," he said. Since arriving in the US in April this year, only Glenn Gonzales was given a fight on July 5 at the Planet Hollywood where he outpointed Florida-based featherweight Robert daLuz in 6 rounds. "The boys have languished in Salinas City training hard and waiting for the fights that never came," Vice Gov. Pinol lamented. He said the problem started when Manny Pacquiao's MP Promotions, through his errand man Michael Koncz, informed him that MP Promotions and Top Rank have an agreement that all Filipino fighters appearing in Top Rank cards must go through MP Promotions. This agreement between Top Rank and MP Promotions was invoked only after Gonzales and Maraon were signed up by Bob Arum through the recommendation of Pacquiao himself. Vice Gov. Pinol said he talked to Manny Pacquiao personally about the arrangement shortly before his fight against David Diaz in Las Vegas and an agreement was reached on the purse percentage that would go to MP Promotions. "Manny Pacquiao is not to be blamed here. He wouldn't be interested in the purse percentage. That's loose change compared to the millions of dollars that he earns. It's actually Koncz whose blocking the way," he said. "Obviously Koncz would like me to go through him. I still maintain my self-respect. I am interested in getting fights for my boxers but I would not go down to the level of begging especially from somebody like Koncz," Vice Gov. Pinol said. "I understand that the odds are stacked up against us. Between maintaining a close relationship with Manny Pacquiao and fulfilling a contractual commitment to two unknown and unproven fighters, Bob Arum will certainly opt not to offend Pacquiao," Vice Gov. Pinol said. He said he tried to communicate with Manny Pacquiao but with his preparation for the fight against Oscar dela Hoya in high gear, all efforts proved futile. "Manny should know that an injustice is being perpetrated against his fellow boxers," Vice Gov. Pinol said. On Nov. 25, Gonzales, 5' 7" (7 wins, 4 knockouts and 1 draw) will go up against a Thai fighter while Maraon, 5' 6" (10 wins, 8 knockouts and 1 draw) will fight a still unnamed Filipino fighter, in a big boxing event that will mark the foundation day of the town of Midsayap in North Cotabato. "After two or three more local fights, we will line up Gonzales against the Philippine featherweight champion Vinvin Rufino and Maraon against the current bantam titleholder Malcolm Tunacao," Vice Gov. Pinol said. "I'm not in a hurry. My boys are young (Gonzales and Maraon are both 23 years old) and we will be in boxing for a long, long time," he said. Aside from Gonzales and Maraon, Vice Gov. Pinol's Braveheart Boxing Club also manages undefeated jr. featherweight Rolando "Smooth Operator" Magbanua, 23 (5' 5" tall; 11 wins, 7 KOs), the explosive and undefeated featherweight Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva, 22, (5' 7" tall; 9 wins all by KO); miniflyweight Rommel "My Little Assassin" Asenjo, 19, (5' 3"; 9 wins, 7 KOs, 2 losses) and the Philippine rated No. 1 lightflyweight Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong 23, (5' 4"; 12 wins, 6 KOs, 2 losses); No. 1 bantamweight Glenn "The Rock" Porras, 23, (5' 5"; 16 wins, 12 KOs, 2 losses); and No. 1 jr. featherweight Reynaldo "Boy of Steel" Belandres, 23, (9 wins, 7 KOs, 1 draw). Magbanua will fight former world superbantamweight champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand in a Cebu City card promoted by Sammy Gello-ani Nov. 30 while Villanueva, described by trainers as "a boy who hits like a mule", will fight another Thai on Nov. 25.  |
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