Nonito Donaire, Michael Dasmariñas, John Riel Casimero, Eumir Marcial.
These are the names that will keep Philippine boxing up on its feet in the next four months.
Obviously, there is one marquee name missing: Manny Pacquiao.
Listen, I would have put his name first but there is simply no progress as to his proposed ring return in 2021.
You see, at the start of the year, there were talks about Pacquiao, fighting in March. Then, when things didn’t fall into place, somebody mentioned April. Then it became May and June. Now it’s July.
Honestly, I feel bad that until now, boxing’s only eight-division champ is still in the hunt.
It is just sickening that by the time Pacquiao returns to the ring in July, he would already be two years removed from his last fight.
What makes it truly uncomfortable is the fact that the guys being lined up to face him are at least ten years younger than him.
Analyze this: Here’s a guy who hasn’t fought in two years being lured into fighting guys like Terence Crawford or Errol Spence, both holding huge physical advantages over the Filipino legend who is actually a full-time public servant.
For chrissakes, it just doesn’t add up.
Anyway, with the Pacquiao comeback still in the pipeline, allow us to focus more on Donaire, Dasmariñas, Casimero and Marcial.
Donaire, a four-division champion and future Hall of Famer, challenges Nordine Oubaali of France for the World Boxing Council crown on 29 May.
On 19 June at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas, Dasmariñas, a heavy underdog, attempts to dethrone Naoya Inoue for the Japanese star’s two title belts.
Casimero, the reigning World Boxing Organization champion also in the powerhouse 118-lb class, defends against Cuban hotshot Guillermo Rigondeaux, the World Boxing Association ruler, on 14 August.
If the boxing gods favor the Filipinos, the summit of the bantamweight division will have Filipinos as occupants although the odds are stacked heavily against Dasmariñas.
But as they say, strange things have happened many times on top of the ring and Dasmariñas has vowed that his trip to Las Vegas will be pure business, and not sight-seeing.
As for the only non-bantam in the match, Marcial’s stint in the Tokyo Olympics is also tops.
Marcial, the country’s brightest boxing bet, puts his bid in motion in July, nursing hopes of vying for the gold medal in the first few days of August.
Again, if the stars align, Philippine boxing’s going to be rocking and rolling.
Of course, it would be truly unforgettable if that four-month run would include a Pacquiao conquest.
Besides, Pacquiao remains the flag-bearer of Philippine boxing.
