If you?re a boxing fan, you must have noticed how there have been stories and online discussions for the wish to see big Filipino vs. Filipino fights at the top level. The latest talks were about the possibility of having Jeo Santisima fight Jhack Tepora in what would have been a great fight. ALA vs. Omega facing off in a best of Cebu Boxing fight card. But as they say, dream on and dream some more. This may remain just that way: a dream. I would love to see such a fight, but also realize that it?s not going to happen. Why will we not see this kind of fights, at least at our level? We must all remember that this clamor for such fights comes from the boxing fans who have seen the likes of both Santisima and Tepora in action. The same goes for all the other topnotch Pinoy boxers who fans want to see ?get it on? on top of the ring. While boxing fans would love to see such fights, I don?t think these will ever happen, save for a few unique situations.
We must all understand that boxing is more than just wanting having two people fight each other. Boxing is a sport that also happens to be a business, a path to a world championship, plus a cash register that rings (not necessarily in that order). All managers maintain top boxers in their stables or gyms, and manage their careers with the goal of winning a world championship (and making money too). We all know how boxers and their managers always talk about winning a world championship. But we also know that huge paychecks come along with winning the biggest championships up the ladder. And so in order to keep boxers on track for a world championship and all the money that comes along with it, a boxing manager is not going to put his boxers in a situation where he could possibly lose a fight. And there?s nothing wrong with this at all. Managers will ensure that their boxers? records? are excellent as this is the only way to move up the ladder in the world rankings. Moreover, there?s also that Pinoy empathy factor where one hates to be the reason for the loss of a world title prospect. For Pinoys, the path usually starts with local fights, then fighting for regional championships of the different world boxing organizations: the World Boxing Organization (WBO), International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA). This is the path taken by world champions Donnie Nietes (WBO flyweight champ), Milan Melindo (IBF light flyweight champ) and Jerwin Ancajas (IBF super flyweight champ). Along the way up, they didn?t face a Pinoy opponent who could?ve derailed their rise. Ancajas once faced WBO regional champ Mark Anthony Geraldo, but this was early in Ancajas?s career and not at the period before his world title fight. If we look at the Mexico model, we?ll also see that the top Mexican superstars do end up fighting each other when they?re already at the top level of boxing. My favorite match-ups would be those of Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. The same goes with Japan which consistently hosts the most number of world and regional title fights in Asia.
Another factor that also comes in is that TV stations and sponsors of boxing promotions frown on Pinoy vs. Pinoy fights since these don?t bring in as high TV ratings when compared to a Pinoy vs. Foreigner main event, even if a Pinoy vs. Pinoy clash will be a better fight from a boxing perspective. Without TV ratings, advertisers don?t come in. And without advertisers, you don?t have a TV coverage. And without TV, you don?t have funds. TV stations are the ones that buy TV rights for boxing fights, give this to promoters who then stage the fights. The biggest example was how HBO used to buy the TV rights to the fights of Manny Pacquiao before. Today, neither HBO nor Showtime (boxing?s biggest TV outfits) is longer interested in Pacquiao fights since they project that they won?t make money like they did before. This is how much influence TV stations have over boxing events.
I have a suggestion for all those fans and boxing aficionados clamoring for big Pinoy vs. Pinoy fights. Instead of just posting, writing, blogging, tweeting, talking or complaining about it, why not do something to make it happen? Let?s have everyone contribute to making the fight a reality. If you offer these Pinoy boxers around P150K to P250K to fight each other, I?m pretty sure their managers will seriously consider such an opportunity. You can then play up the fight through the various media and will hopefully generate excellent media values and ratings to make it a must-watch event. Then don?t ask for huge fees for TV rights. Give it to a TV station for free. Make them produce the TV event and have them get their own TV sponsors. In other words, nothing is free these days. Dili na puede ang dawat limpyo. If you want to see a Pinoy vs Pinoy fight, pay up and it will happen.
Unsa man? Game?
