Tungod, Inabanga, Bohol – When I told Dong Secuya, the man responsible for www.philboxing.com and www.mannypacquiao.ph, about my apprehensions of a possible Pinoy-vs-Pinoy showdown between Gerry “Fearless” Pe?alosa and Z “The Dream” Gorres in the not-so-distant future, his response was rather simple and calm, but very much packed with reassuring wisdom. “It’s a clear indication that we’re definitely in the Golden Age of Philippine Boxing.” That was his very comforting rejoinder. I am an avid fan of both Pe?alosa and Gorres and it is but normal for a devoted follower to hope that his heroes would avoid losing as much and as long as possible. Putting two of them inside the squared circle pretty much assures a loss to either one… and that was basically the cause for my trepidation. Nonetheless, Secuya’s words definitely transformed my uneasiness into a state of recently-realized elation. Indeed, the Philippines has been a very prolific producer of boxing talents with great potentials, especially recently that the sports’ most important figure in Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao comes from the Islands himself. A handful of these potentials have been lurking in the shadows of their more popular compatriots.
Speaking of which, we are going to talk about three of perhaps today’s most underrated and underappreciated Pinoy pugs, namely; WBO minimumweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes (25-1-3, 14 KOs), Milan “Piston Punch” Melindo (19-0-0, 5 KOs), and WBO Oriental bantamweight champion Michael “Bruce Lee” Domingo (39-14-2, 17 KOs).
Donnie Nietes, who hails from Murcia in Negros Occidental, is the only fighter from the renowned ALA Boxing Stable to become a world champion. He won his world title by defeating erstwhile undefeated Pornsawan Porpramook Kratingdaenggym of Thailand in a masterful display of boxing skills and ring savvy. Nietes has successfully defended his WBO title thrice, the last two in enemy territory. Despite his ring exploits and proven track record, Nietes, has remained searching for his much-deserved approval, probably even more deservingly so than his rather more popular or perhaps more-hyped stablemates.
Two-time Philippine National Games gold medallist Milan “Piston Punch” Melindo might not be as recognizable as the rest of his fellow Pinoys or his high-profile stablemates at ALA are, but his exceptional skill set and outstanding boxing talent has most certainly caught the eye of boxing aficionados. His graceful and slick boxing style is definitely a beauty to behold. Many observers have described this twenty-one-year-old boxing phenom as an outstanding ring tactician who exudes ring generalship like a grizzled veteran. He can literally dominate his foe with just his left hand, without even unleashing his dominant right hand. Accuracy, precision, and efficiency are his forte.
Melindo, a proud son of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, sports an immaculate record of 19 wins, spiked by 5 KOs. He looks up to the great Gerry Pe?alosa as his hero. He as well admires Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera for his boxing skills and excellent defense.
At quick glance, Michael “Bruce Lee” Domingo’s ring record isn’t really something to be excited about, especially if you haven’t seen any of his fights. He could very well be a case of a late-bloomer or perhaps about not giving up, coupled with finding the right people to manage his career. If you examine a bit closer, Domingo’s career was quite apparently a product of mismanagement. His former handlers, before ALA put him under their wing, apparently didn’t see the potential. They certainly didn’t see the talent and determination to succeed that he possessed all along. All but three of his losses were on foreign soil. Unfortunately for his last eight opponents, they didn’t expect it as well and fell prey to the mighty “Bruce Lee”. These eight opponents had a combined record of 220 wins, 41 losses, and 9 draws, which tells us about the very high level of competition. Just weeks ago, Domingo did what Christian Mijares, Dmitriy Kirilov, Gabriel Elizondo, Vernie Torres, Katsushige Kawashima, and Masamori Tokuyama were unable to do – knock Jose Navarro out! That alone speaks volumes of the very bright future that awaits this fighter from Libac, Suldan Kudarat.
Nietes’, Melindo’s, and Domingo’s days beneath the shadows are numbered. However, how long they’re going to stay lurking in these shadows largely depends on when fans like you, my beloved reader, finally acknowledges their brilliance. Don’t make them wait too long!
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