Third Force Promotions president Noli Eala has pulled the plug on what would?ve been a historic triple world championship boxing show in Dubai and preserved his reputation as an honorable player in the sports business.
?For material modifications in the original agreements and failure to fully comply with the financial and economic provisions of the original as well as modified agreements by our Dubai partners, with regrets, we have issued a letter to our matchmaker formally canceling the Dubai promotions of Third Force scheduled on April 18,? said Eala in a text the other day.
Thrice, Eala flew to Dubai and tried to save the project. He paid $20,000 to reserve the Aviation Arena where the show was to be staged. And there were other amounts he advanced, like the reservation fee for the satellite TV feed. In all, Eala coughed up over $35,000 to keep the project alive. But in the end, he had to bite the bullet.
Eala said he felt badly for the overseas Filipino workers who were looking forward to the event. However, factors beyond his control prevented the project from getting off the ground.
There were three conditions that Eala set with a March 31 deadline for the fights to go through. They were the payment of assurance money (reportedly, $50,000) to Gary Shaw (who packaged the main event featuring IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. versus challenger Hussein Hussein), the submission of all permits, approvals and legal requirements (from the Dubai Sports Council, homeland security, tourism and the Department of the Interior) and the remittance of ?guaranteed? amounts (reportedly, $300,000 or 30 percent of the total budget of $1 million).
Throughout the arduous negotiations, Eala kept in close contact with Shaw and matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz who assembled a blockbuster undercard, including two title bouts.
Lewkowicz was clearly disappointed that the show couldn?t go on. But he knew it wasn?t Eala?s fault. In fact, he credited Eala for being transparent from the start and taking the bull by the horns in pulling out when things didn?t seem to be falling into place.
Apparently, the Dubai partners were hesitant to bring out cash because last February, only 800 spectators showed up to watch a Jesse Robinson boxing promotion starring former world heavyweight boxing champion Michael Moorer.
The Dubai partners wanted to pay only two weeks before the fights, presumably so they could gauge what ticket sales would be like. The timing, however, was unacceptable because fighters require advances to pay for training expenses.
The show was postponed and reset at least thrice as Eala took the long course in the salvage operations. Eala even suggested May 23 as the final date, assuming the Dubai partners complied with the conditions last March 31. Lewkowicz did his part in trying to save the show by trimming the budget. One of his cost-cutting measures was moving the undercard title fight between IBF lightflyweight titlist Ulises Solis and Filipino challenger Juanito Rubillar to Mexico City on May 17. That left the Dubai partners to pay for only two title fights ? Donaire versus Hussein and WBO minimumweight champion Donnie Nietes versus challenger Daniel Reyes. Additionally, Lewkowicz scrapped the undercard bout between Sydney-based Filipino lightweight Ranee Ganoy versus former world champion Julio Diaz. Ganoy is now booked to fight in Oklahoma on April 18.
?Sampson is a wonderful man,? said Eala. ?He has taught me valuable lessons in the boxing business. There is no doubt in my mind, he?s the world?s best boxing matchmaker today.?
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The Special Athletes Bowling Association of the Philippines (SPABA) will hold a unified ?bowling friendship day? for Special Olympics bowlers at the Puyat Sports lanes, Centermall, Baguio City, today.
The event is organized by Teacher-Mom, a special school in Makati, and hosted by Purposeful Stewardship Inc. (PSI) and the Baguio Highland Bowling Association (BHBA). Some 16 special athletes from Manila and Baguio City, 45 representatives from PSI and BHBA and guests are participating in the event supported by Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista.
The affair will also honor the country?s bowling medalists in the World Special Olympic Games in Shanghai last October ? Anton Silos, Roxanne Ng, Mark Inductivo and Stephanie Babst who brought home two golds, four silvers and five bronzes.
Other special athletes to be cited are Jonathan Zulueta, Larry Cruz, Carlos Alcantara, Ryan Reyes, Brian Robles, Robin Clarino, Alex Longato and Alexander Rico ? all medalists in previous international competitions ? as well as Brian Galang, Gabby Gana and Baguio athletes Jenny Lim, Margie Lim Walang, Bonifacio Alvarado and Charlie Manuel.
?We hope that through this event, we will be promoting the Special Olympics movement in tenpin bowling among the intellectually challenged athletes not only in Baguio but in other parts of the country,? said Cristina Canizares Gacuma of Special Olympics Philippines.
In the Shanghai Games last October, the Philippines participated in aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, bowling, five-a-side football, artistic gymnastics, powerlifting and table tennis.
