MANILA, Philippines — They both took hits, parried blows and endured injuries to triumph for the Philippine flag inside a boxing ring thousands of kilometers from home.
But on their trip back to celebrate the double victory, what separated two Filipino boxing champions were several rows of seats that seemed to have highlighted the contrasting treatment accorded an established ring idol and a promising young fighter.
As ring idol Manny Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee flew first class on Philippine Airlines’ Flight PR113, Bernabe Concepcion, who snagged a world boxing title on Sunday, sat through the 16-hour flight from Los Angeles to Manila in economy class.
Pacquiao’s convoy had already left for the Manila Hotel when Concepcion, the World Boxing Council youth super bantamweight champ, emerged from the arrival gallery at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Centennial Terminal a little past 5 a.m. Tuesday.
He was left behind as it took time for him to step out of the aircraft, which touched down at 4:30 a.m. With him in the cabin were other members of Pacquiao’s management staff.
“We were in the rear part of the plane and there were many people. That’s why we can’t slip past them,” said Concepcion, who drew an applause louder than what Pacquiao had received from the waiting media.
Concepcion, 19, a native of Viga, Catanduanes, fought in the undercard of the bout between Pacquiao and Mexican Jorge Solis at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Unanimous decision
By a unanimous decision, the Bicolano succeeded in defending his belt against American Benjamin Flores.
Later, 28-year-old Pacquiao knocked out Solis, a previously undefeated fighter.
“I was supposed to take a flight tomorrow, but Manny said he wanted me to go with him. He wants us to be together [in the homecoming] because that’s an added exposure for me. So we just insisted on taking the flight,” Concepcion said.
It was not clear whether the flight’s business-class or first-class cabins had no more space for him, but Concepcion said it was his promoter, Top Rank, that booked him and Pacquiao on the flight that left Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Asked if he would have been given a better seat had he taken the next day’s flight, Concepcion said “maybe.”
Airport security chief Angel Atutubo, who was among the airport officials who arranged the welcome for the champs, said he had to remind the airport public affairs staff about Concepcion when he was not seen following Pacquiao.
The Pacquiao couple was already out of the arrival gallery at 4:50 a.m. and welcomed by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, Atutubo and the Airport Police Department’s anti-terror force.
No entourage, relatives
Ten minutes had passed before Concepcion could follow Pacquiao’s group. No entourage, no relatives, no security. Just his lone carry-on luggage.
Incidentally, the young boxer hopes to be like Pacquiao someday as he acknowledges that there’s still a lot he has to learn.
“I dream of also becoming a star boxer, if I get lucky. I hope … Maybe, I am not even half [of what] Manny [has achieved]. I will just work hard,” the modest boxer told reporters.
Atutubo, who escorted Concepcion to the Presidential Lounge, said the boxer had planned to take a cab to follow Pacquiao’s group, all the while carrying the $12,000 cash prize he won in Texas.
He was spared from commuting when the airport authority offered one of its patrol cars to take Concepcion to the Manila Hotel, where he was scheduled to rendezvous with Pacquiao’s group.
