MANNY Pacquiao has won his big money-and-morals bout against his former handlers, led by US promoter Murad Muhammad and business manager Rod Nazario of the Philippines.
That should be the start of something good for Philippine boxing.
Sorry, but local authorities, led by the lazy, lardy Games and Amusements Board under Eric Buhain (son-in-law of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita), refused to lift a finger to do a follow-up probe of those who had duped Pacquiao.
The sport of boxing remains a favorite venue for exploitation by criminal elements here, with poor fighters forever the underdogs whose rights and dignity are trampled.
The bleeding (for the underpaid boxer) continues in Philippine boxing, while the whole nation suffers deeper under a distrusted regime.
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We’re all down on the floor, while leaders who continue to spit at truth and make mincemeat of morality continue to lord it over in our shattered land.
But, hey, there’s this one good break, reports Cebu boxing expert Salven Lagumbay, at least for RP boxing, if not for the poor, suffering masa.
“Sir, we’re launching Philboxing.com website. Please access it at www.philboxing.com/preview on Thursday,” Salven offered.
That was last Thursday, July 14.
We did try the website, and we’re making this report brimming with hope and excitement.
Philboxing.com is a true gift, an exception in these troubled times.
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A winner, a future champ, we told Mr. Lagumbay, the bearer of good tidings.
For starters, do you know that our very own Pancho Villa, who beat Jimmy Wilde on May 18, 1923 to become the first Asian world boxing champion, was voted the greatest flyweight of the century by the Associated Press?
The Filipino boxing website also reports that Villa was Francisco Guilledo in real life, born in Ilog, Negros Occidental, on Aug. 1, 1901. It added that Villa was only one of four Asians who have been installed in the international Boxing Hall of Fame.
And what about Little Dado, Eleuterio Zapanta who reigned as world bantam king in the early 1940s?
Small Montana was Benjamin Gan, who beat a certain Midget Wolfgast to annex the world flyweight title in September 1935. He reigned until 1937.
These ring greats, including Salvador “Dado” Marino, Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, Roberto Cruz, Luisito Espinosa and a host of others, are paraded in the “former champs” section of the boxing website.
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Naturally, centerpiece of this Pinoy bonus to the boxing world is Manny Pacquiao, hottest RP sports property.
Is the Pacman headed for doom? Is there hope for a Pacquiao rematch with Erik Morales, his Mexican conqueror who’s reportedly moving up one weight class?
You get the answers, provided by seasoned boxing writers from all over the world.
Subject of current interest, of course, is a thesis in progress on the ins-and-outs of Pacquiao’s legal battle with handlers who had robbed him blind earlier on in his career.
This should be provided by US-based Filipino journalist Winchell Campos, who’s been privy to the workings inside Pacquiao’s new management team headed by Shelley Finkel.
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Well, don’t sign off yet. That’s only on the former champs’ side of the website.
There are also win-win points on current RP champs, word-rated Filipino fighters, national ratings, fight schedules, results, etc.
You could go through the long list of trainers, managers, promoters, boxing gyms.
Indeed a coming-out party for RP boxing, said one excited subscriber.
Yes, the menu won’t be complete without mention of the lovely, luscious Filipina ring card girls.
Their pictures are there for the boxing enthusiast to admire.
If you plan to push further in that shapely direction, the inimitable Dong Secuya, maker of the world-renowned mannypacquiao.ph, and Salven Lagumbay have vowed to guide you even in hot, non-sporting interests.
They promise to provide available cellphone numbers of these great boxing muses.
