The Z Gorres ? Vic Darchinyan International Boxing Federation (IBF) superflyweight eliminator at the Waterfront Casino and Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City was a bizarre fight that failed to settle anything in the ring and the challenger to Dimitri Kirilov, the 115-pound division titleholder.
All told, both Gorres and Darchinyan visited the canvas nine times either because of being wrestled or pulled down to the canvas or slipping or receiving a legitimate and clear punch.
In the words of Cebu-based boxing manager/promoter and sports philanthropist Tony Aldeguer, ?it was an exciting but not a beautiful fight, though it did well at the gate and should not end up in the red. In addition, Aldeguer felt that the referee, ?(New Zealand?s Lance) Revill failed to stop the shoving, pushing, and head butting thus letting the fight get out of control.? It was Revill?s first assignment outside New Zealand.
On the positive side, Aldeguer expressed optimism about the viability of boxing promotions in the Philippines, especially in Cebu and for ?international/regional fight cards and title fights? provided all the ingredients for success are there.
Aldeguer, an internationally respected sports figure said there are too many things written about the fights but very few stories about the so-called logic of the business.
Aldeguer proudly points out that the provinces are leading the way in continuing the momentum created by international superstar Manny Pacquiao and other Filipino fighters. To begin with, operating budgets in the provinces are several notches lower compared with Metro Manila costs especially when it comes to promotional, publicity and marketing expenses and accommodations for boxers and their entourage and other fight officials.
The backing of a television network is crucial in order for a fight card to succeed for the simple reason that it is only television that can provide the mass exposure that sponsors look for when evaluating countless proposals for sponsorship support. Only television can visually bring into one?s home the action in detail and in real time. It is basically the only medium that can rightfully lay claim to virtual reality. It has the power to make boxing (and sports in general) truly big time and thus deserving of corporate support.
Chances of substantial sponsorship support are however enhanced if the overall economy is doing well. Thailand, whose economy is much better off than many ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, can probably afford to hold one or two (or even three) world (not just Asian or Asia-Pacific) title fights.
Boxing in Thailand has also become a means of generating support for provincial politicians, as Thai officials themselves admit. It is not surprising therefore to have world title fights and international sports events held in the Thai countryside, including the recently concluded 2007 Southeast Asian Games.
If we are not as economically active as Thailand, we can still put together monthly promotions for anywhere from P300,000 to P500,000 in order to ensure that our fighters are kept busy and to sustain the public?s interest in the sport.
Basketball is one perfect example of a sport played whole year round that still retains some measure of commercial viability because of the presence of the right ingredients even if, in terms of technique, we are nowhere near the world?s best. In fact there is some debate about whether the professional league?s reason for existing is simply to entertain local audiences or to aim for international success (or do both, as one follows and supports the other).
The resourcefulness of Filipino promoters in working with limited resources has drawn the attention of Dubai?s businessmen-sportsmen who are now engaging Filipinos to put together boxing promotions in that oil-rich country. One interesting feature of Dubai is it does not even have a boxing commission. Filipino expertise can therefore help create the boxing industry in the Middle East and be another source of foreign remittances.
