A conversation with the Philboxing.com editor and creator
BOXING HERALD ? Dong thank you very much for joining us today, it’s an honor to have you on board.
DONG SECUYA ? It’s my privilege, thank you.
BOXING HERALD ? Dong tell the fans about yourself, and how you got involved in boxing.
DONG SECUYA ? Well first of all I am a web designer. I decided to design my own website. Months before Manny’s fight with Barrera I came across Barrera’s website. As you know Manny Pacquiao is very popular in the Philippines. Manny was just getting popular back then, and right after the Barrera fight a lot of Filipino boxing fans didn’t have a place to gather among themselves. I decided to make a site where they could get together and talk boxing. That’s how it all started.
BOXING HERALD ? How many members does Pacland have now?
DONG SECUYA ? There are 35,000 members, but there are some with multiple handles. I think there are about 30,000 plus. I was thinking when I created it, I figured maybe if I got a thousand members, I would be happy.
BOXING HERALD ? You’re pretty happy now (laughs.)
DONG SECUYA ? Yes, but it’s a lot of work.
BOXING HERALD ? Manny Pacquiao has an article that he writes on your site. How did you get Manny involved?
DONG SECUYA ? Manny just decided to write, and actually he wrote in Manila as well. He wrote his articles for someone and he decided that he wanted to write for Pacland so he could communicate with his fans.
BOXING HERALD ? What is your relationship with Manny Pacquiao, do you know him well?
DONG SECUYA – Yes a few months after I created the site, he saw the web site. He stopped by Cebu one day and asked to see me. He asked who created the site, and since then we know each other.
BOXING HERALD ? The first time I interviewed Manny, I asked him if he has ever heard of Pacland, and he told me ?no.? I interviewed him the second time, and then he told me that he was aware of the site, and he enjoys it.
BOXING HERALD ? Will you continue on with the site once Manny retires from boxing?
DONG SECUYA ? Yes the site will be there after he retires. Manny has done a lot of good things for the Filipino people. Philboxing will go on even after Manny retires.
BOXING HERALD ? Talk about Filipino boxing in general. Manny has paved the way, what are your thoughts of today’s Filipino fighters.
DONG SECUYA ? Even before Manny came to America, there were a lot of good Filipino fighters out there. Boxing became an alternative for many Filipinos, and there are so many good ones, for so many years. When Manny arrived on the scene, he created the opportunities for the Filipino fighters. When I created Philboxing.com it became a vehicle for the Filipino fighters to be known. The market has been created now, before the market was created, the skills were still there, they just didn’t have a way to show them.
BOXING HERALD ? Paint a picture for the boxing fans, in your words how big is Manny in the Philippines?
DONG SECUYA ? He’s huge, almost all of the products in the Philippines have his name and face on it over here. Even small children know who he is, he’s even bigger than the president of the Philippines as far as name recognition.
BOXING HERALD ? What has Manny done for the moral of the Philippine people?
DONG SECUYA ? He inspires people. He has become the symbol of hope for our people. But of course we have to be practical, even Manny has limitations, he cannot help everyone.
BOXING HERALD ? What about Manny and politics?
DONG SECUYA ? The majority of people are not excited about that. I think he should stay in boxing, he doesn’t need to enter politics. He can help a lot more people by staying as a fighter. We will see though, because he is quite serious in his desire to help people through politics. So we will just see what happens.
BOXING HERALD ? I have gotten to know Manny fairly well, maybe not quite as well as you do, but I am impressed by how humble he has stayed even with all of his success.
DONG SECUYA ? That has surprised me too (laughs), but that’s why people like him a lot. He has remained grounded as you say.
BOXING HERALD ? There are some people that do not want the fight between Manny and Oscar to happen. What are your thoughts on this fight?
DONG HERALD ? On paper De La Hoya is too big, Manny looks like he has no chance to beat De La Hoya. Freddie Roach knows Manny, and feels like Manny can win, that he has a chance. I talked to Hector Roca, the veteran trainer in New York, he also believes Manny has a good chance to beat De La Hoya. So there are two fine trainers that are experts, and their opinions weigh heavily. Most American writers are dismissing the fight as a circus, but hearing these two trainers talking about Manny’s chances gives me some hope that Manny can win.
BOXING HERALD ? Roach says it will be Manny’s speed and how he uses his speed that will be his key to victory. Give me your thoughts on how big Manny will get IF he beats Oscar De La Hoya.
DONG SECUYA ? Well he doesn’t even have to win. Just by fighting De La Hoya he will be huge because of the coverage of HBO. It will be worldwide and in every headline all over the place. So just by fighting him he will become a lot bigger. And of course if he wins I think there will be a rematch. The rematch would be even bigger.
BOXING HERALD ? Dong, how long do you think Manny will fight before he calls it a day?
DONG SECUYA ? Well he said that he will retire next year and enter politics. He’s still young, so I would say that maybe a year after he retires he will come back. He’s too young….
BOXING HERALD ? I talked to Roy Jones Sr one time, and he told me that a lot of these fighters can’t just retire. They have to detox off of boxing like someone has to detox off of drugs or alcohol.
DONG SECUYA ? That’s right, even Oscar says it will be his last fight, but he will probably change his mind too, right? (laughs)
BOXING HERALD ? In your travels around The Philippines, have you seen any other young fighters that are coming up that can be even half the success that Manny has been?
DONG SECUYA ? As far as the next Manny Pacquiao, I don’t think so. I have traveled around the Philippines quite a bit, and it’s very difficult to find another Manny Pacquiao. There are many prospects, but not another Manny Pacquiao.
BOXING HERALD ? What is your vision for Pacland Dong? Do you have any changes coming up for the forum and site?
DONG SECUYA ? Yes, in reality the way I see it is, I need some help to do what I want to do with the site. I am in the process of hiring some people to help me with the site. And hopefully in the next few months we will have even bigger sections of www.philboxing.com There are several plans in place to make the site even better than it is.
BOXING HERALD ? What has been the biggest challenge thus far keeping Pacland as successful as it has been so far?
DONG SECUYA ? That’s a good topic because a lot of people just see what’s in the front end. But the back end has a lot of work that goes on. There is a lot of traffic on the site so getting a bigger server is expensive, and then the maintenance of the site is hard work as well. I am already thinking about what I need to do to be able to have the site ready for Manny’s next fight.
BOXING HERALD ? Dong, it’s been a pleasure talking to you. Do you have any closing thoughts for the Filipino fans out there?
DONG SECUYA ? First of all, thank you very much for having me on your program. To all Manny’s fans, and Pacland fans, thank you very much for your support! Let’s join together and help Philippine boxing.
