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Philippines, 09 May 2025 |
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LTFRB chief wants to be a boxing promoter By Alex P. Vidal PhilBoxing.com Fri, 05 Jan 2007 ILOILO CITY -- The sudden death of Bebot Zulueta, son of the late Oton mayor Lazaro “Nene” Zulueta, in later part of 1996, dashed to pieces the sports program Bebot and Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Regional Director Porferio Clavel, Jr. had planned not only for the municipality of Oton but also for the entire province of Iloilo. “Our momentum was halted and I was devastated,” gushed Clavel who brought Bebot, then in his early 50’s, to me to discuss the sports program several weeks before he died of heart attack while belting a Mat Monroe classic in a videoke bar. Bebot Zulueta was a former Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) featherweight titleholder and was reportedly undefeated in 28 fights with 28 knockouts! When 1964 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Anthony Villanueva turned professional, he avoided fellow featherweight Bebot Zulueta like a plague because Bebot was too strong for Villanueva even in the sparring sessions, Rod Nazario, Manny Pacquiao’s estranged business manager, told this writer during a trip to Bangkok, Thailand in 1999 where I witnessed the signing of contract between Nazario and Diamond Promotions boxing promoter Virat Virachachanawong for the then 19-year-old Pacquiao’s first stab at the world title—World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight crown worn then by Chachai Sasakul, Virat’s prot?g?. Clavel’s botched sports program was the ambitious Panay-wide boxing caravan which would have kicked off in Oton. But because Bebot passed away unexpectedly, Clavel decided to abandon the program and went to Bicol Region where he served as regional director of the LTFRB. When Clavel went back here in October 2000, his passion for sports was rejuvenated. He then wasted no time and hooked up with veteran Ilonggo boxing trainers Alfredo “Pidong” Amistoso, Sr. and Johnny Estrella, current trainer of the “comebacking” former World Boxing Federation (WBF) welterweight titlist William Magahin. Their collaboration produced three future gems—Ramon Tamon (flyweight), Ramil Acac (flyweight) and female boxer Josie Mandal (flyweight). Last January 2, Clavel sought my help to get a professional license as manager-promoter from the Games and Amusement Board (GAB). He also expressed strong interest to join the growing family of the WBF (now World Boxing Foundation) of which I am the supervisor for the Philippines. No problem, Sir. Here’s my brief tete-a-tete with the LTFRB boss-turned-boxing patron: ALEX P. VIDAL: Why do you love boxing? PORFERIO CLAVEL: It runs in my veins. My father (Porferio Clavel, Sr.) was the trainer of Bebot (Zulueta). APV: Was your father also a boxer? CLAVEL: (He was) not only a boxer but also wrestler and arnis player rolled into one. APV: Did he try to train or influence you to be a boxer? CLAVEL: He did once. But when he saw me grimace in pain while being hit by punches thrown by my sparring partner, he pitied me and that’s how my brief boxing career ended. APV: Aside from boxing, what else do you play? CLAVEL: I’m also into basketball and badminton. I am actually a true-blue sports buff. APV: Do you have a stable of boxers now? CLAVEL: Yes. I have high hopes for my prot?g?s Ramon Tamon and Ramil Acac (he plans to make them join the professional rank this year, he said). PHILOSOPHER-LAWYER LOSSES PRECIOUS BOOK. One of the most precious books of Atty. Ernesto “Ernie” Justiniani Dayot, the one with a title: “If you meet Buddha in the street, kill him”, was inside the black bag he left in the baggage section of a grocery store inside a mall in downtown area, City Proper. When Atty. Dayot went back to claim the bag, he noticed that the claim stub was missing in his pocket. Thinking that he lost the stub, he hurriedly approached the baggage section only to be told by the baggage boy that somebody had already claimed the bag. Atty. Dayot said he hasn’t finished reading the book yet. Never mind the other things, including some cash, inside the bag; Atty. Dayot is not anymore interested to recover them. What he is sad about is the book which cannot be found anymore in the bookstores. Through this column, I appeal to the rascal who intentionally claimed the bag using the lost claim stub of Atty. Dayot to return the book by texting or calling this number: 09208616675. No questions will be asked. Just return the book, swore Atty. Dayot. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.  |
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