Los Angeles-based orthodontist Ed de la Vega, whose customized mouthguard was a vital part of Manny Pacquiao’s vast boxing arsenal, attended to his last patient yesterday.
After five decades of serving as a dentist in California, De la Vega saw his last patient before finally closing his Canoga Park clinic.
Born in the foothills of Arayat in Pampanga, De la Vega started practicing in the United States in 1971 after graduating from the University of the Philippines. Monetized by optAd360
He did post-graduate studies at McGill University in Montreal and set up shop on the fringes of Beverly Hills before finding a home at Koreatown.
But De la Vega, who is pushing 82 in a few weeks, had to abandon the Koreatown dental office after the Rodney King riots in 1992 burned it down.
His role in Pacquiao’s career kicked off in 2005.
Since then, Pacquiao would ring him so De la Vega can come up with a new mouthpiece.
Pacquiao, known for his legendary generosity, always wanted to compensate De la Vega for his help.
But De la Vega, who spent his elementary and high school at University of Santo Tomas and undergrad at Letran College, politely turned it down and just asked for a couple of tickets so his wife and son could see the fight.
Owing to his association with Pacquiao’s winning ways, De la Vega’s expertise was also tapped by other Filipino fighters with scheduled bouts in America as well as boxers from other countries who learned about his solid links with the eight-division champion.
Despite his decision to hang it up, De la Vega swears he would remain connected with the fight game now that he has more free time.
Also, De la Vega vows to continue his outreach program in the Philippines, something he has been doing for decades, too.
In the meantime, don’t be surprised if you get to see more of him during the fights.
The mouthpiece master’s other passion is boxing.
