WELL, it can happen to the best of ?em and it did. ALA Promotions, arguably the No. 1 promotional outfit in our country, got hoodwinked by its Mexican agent and got a ?different? Genaro Garcia as Rey ?Boom-Boom? Bautista?s opponent in Bohol.
(I had initially decided to accompany the wifey and my daughter Julia on a school field trip also scheduled that day in Bohol and planned to catch the fight on the same night that I thought would be just perfect. But I relented as I could not in good conscience let our dapper Sportswriters Association Cebu President John Pages down and be absent from our annual SAC-SMC awards presentation that same night at Ayala Center, Cebu. With the match-up snafu, I thankfully made the right choice.)
The Genaro Garcia that arrived hardly looked like the Genaro ?Poblanito? Garcia everybody wanted. Since I spend more money on fight magazines than on beer these days, I distinctly recall telling myself that Bautista?s opponent looked different when I saw the weigh-in pics.
But what the hell?I thought to myself, I must be wrong. After all, a few years can add a few pounds here and there, recede your hairline, etc.
But more importantly, such mistakes don?t happen in a fight of this magnitude for one of ALA Aldeguer?s favorite wards who was fighting in his hometown, of all places.
NAME GAME. Google (yes, it?s apparently a verb now) the name Genaro Garcia and you will get 11,100 results ranging from the boxer to Genaro Garcia manuscripts to a survey that says there are 288 people named Genaro Garcia living in the US.
I?m not the least bit surprised. In fact I won?t be shocked if there is a Genaro Garcia living somewhere in Ronda.
It?s unfortunate that all this happened, but I always call a spade a spade and someone also dropped the ball at the ALA end.
In this digital age, the facility by which visual verification can be made is common knowledge. From the time the bloke arrived at the airport alone and hardly looking like the eponymous Mexican warrior, the warning signs were all there.
I believe there was ample time to verify before he was presented to the media.
Bautista eventually finally disposed of Garcia with 10-11 record in a little over a minute in the second round, which is pretty much what everybody expected.
But ALA?s decision to open the fight free to the public was a welcome gesture that would at least serve as a soothing salve to the hordes of disappointed Boholanos.
THE FIGHTS. Which is a pity actually as the featured fighters in the undercard all gave spirited efforts despite the big letdown in the main event.
Michael Domingo proved he still had enough gas in his tank as he eviscerated Marvin Tampus in just one round with a devastating shot that landed on the liver at point blank range.
I believe Domingo should fight on and he?s still good enough to beat some of the top 15 fighters in his division.
If Sonny Boy Jaro?s recent conquest of Pongsaklek Wonjongkam is any indication, it proves that every journeyman deserves a chance and Domingo is not ready yet to assume the division?s caretaker role.
Jason Pagara had a relatively easy time with overmatched Frans Yarangga but Genesis Servania had some tough, tense moments in his bout with the well-traveled Nick Otieno that served as the faux main event.
To recall, Otieno fought and lost to stablemate Z Gorres in 2008.One thing going for Servania is his excellent conditioning, which allowed him to hang on and eventually impose his will on his inspired opponent.
LAST ROUNDS. Are on one of my best friends from high school Dr. Oliver Baclig and on Ian Hernando who are celebrating their birthdays this week. Cheers!
