SACRAMENTO – My heart swelled with pride when I met Team Philippines yesterday at the bowels of the Arco Arena, where they were re-introduced to the media for final press conference of boxing?s World Cup.
Their Air Jordan jackets and running pants were white and gray, with the Philippine flaglet gleaming on their right breasts. Their shoes were neat, and they sported newly-trimmed domes.
Rey ?BoomBoom? Bautista addressed the crowd, just like his fellow fighters did. But he spoke last, and his words echoed what was to be expected in this battle of ring supremacy between the Philippines and Mexico.
?This is a war,? said the 21-year-old from Candijay, Bohol, who is featured in the main event against WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon.
And so it is, a war of attrition between two nations with rich boxing traditions.
At stake in this biennial spectacle is a diamond-encrusted Icelink trophy worth $500,000. Also to be had is bragging rights, which is priceless.
CAVORTING WITH THE ENEMY. On the way to the presscon, I chanced upon Ponce De Leon. He doesn?t speak English. My Spanish is zero. It didn?t seem like material for a good interview.
But Ramiro of Golden Boy Promotions, a former sportswriter, stepped in the middle to act as interpreter.
He had trained hard for this fight, three months. Although he labels BoomBoom as a world-class challenger, De Leon insists he is ready for the challenged.
It was easy to believe him. He looked big and strong, and his eyes had that gaze of a cold assassin.
But BoomBoom looked just as great, too. And like I said in previous columns, the Bautista-De Leon tiff is a virtual coin-toss. Whoever nails a meaningful first will seize the fight. And I won?t be surprised to see both pugs visit the canvass before a victor is made.
GOLDEN MOMENT. With sports writing legend Recah Trinidad by my side, we interviewed the Golden Boy himself, Oscar de la Hoya.
Oscar looked a million darn dollars. He wore a dark grey suit with a blue long sleeved shirt beneath. The shoes were black and leather, and his watch had the look of expensive written all over it.
But the most impressive things were the words that came out of his mouth. As it turned out, de la Hoya was a wonderful interview. He spoke clearly, answered questions eloquently. And he smiled a lot.
?I was about 18, going on 19 when I first won a title,? he said while deflecting questions about BoomBoom?s age and his perceived lack of experience against the vastly-seasoned De Leon.
And Oscar had this to say to Manny Pacquiao: ?He has to look after himself and his career. He has a responsibility to be responsible. A lot of fighters, not just Filipinos, look up to him. He must show a good example.?
De la Hoya said ending the rift with Top Rank over Pacquiao was an easy decision. ?I?m a businessman.?
Asked about why he likes Filipino fighters, many of whom his company, Golden Boy Promotions, has taken under its wings, Oscar replied: ?They are very impressive. They have dedication, respect, desire, pride, and a willingness to learn.?
As usual, De La Hoya was right.
