HANOI ? This city which was the capital of North Vietnam when the country was still divided into north and south, has markedly changed since we visited it for the first time sometime in 1996 when we were at the helm of the Philippine Sports Commission. To begin with, Vietnam at that time was just taking its first baby steps towards liberalizing its markets as a regular member of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Nations). However, in spite of its acceptance in the regional body, Vietnam still required visas from citizens of ASEAN member-countries like the Philippines.
At that time, my sponsor was the Sepak Takraw Association of Vietnam, which was hosting an ASEAN competition, and the Philippine Amateur Sepak Takraw Association (PASTA) headed by Gen Mario Tanchanco, was in the tournament. We had to apply for a visa then but now, in my first visit to Hanoi some 16 years later, citizens of ASEAN-member countries don?t need a visa for visits of no more than two weeks. In fact, Vietnam is perhaps one of the very few countries where one doesn?t have to accomplish an arrival and departure card when traveling to and from the country.
The trip from the airport to the Melia hotel, site of the convention we attended is about an hour from Hanoi?s international airport. A day after we checked in, our attention is called by our son Vincent who?s accompanying us on this trip to news about the world title fight between Nonito Donaire, WBO super bantamweight titlist and Cuban defector Guillermo Rigondeaux (Rigo), WBA super bantamweight king on April 13, (April 14 in Manila) at the Radio City Music Hall in New York. Three titles, including The Ring junior featherweight crown, are at stake.
Prior to both fighters affixing their signatures to the contract, Donaire renewed his war against illegal drug users by sticking to his promise not to approve the official announcement of his April 13 bout with Rigondeaux until the latter formally agreed to submit to random testing for performance enhancing drugs (PED?s) through the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA). Reports state that the delay in the Rigondeaux camp?s agreeing to the VADA administered test was the former wanted a second organization independent of VADA to conduct similar tests.
With a little over two weeks before the fight, both fighters? handlers, supporters and the two main protagonists are already taunting each other and engaging in non-stop psy-war. Donaire who is ranked fifth in ESPN?s and Ting TV?s best pound-for-pound lists and is the second Asian to win titles in four weight divisions (flyweight, super flyweight, bantamweight and super bantamweight), should be a shoo-in to improve his pound-for-pound ranking if he gets past the 32-year old Cuban who has a record of 11-0, 8 KOs.
Donaire, 30, has a record of 31-1-0, 20 KOs, and a a streak of 30 wins since losing his second professional fight in a controversial decision to Rosendo Sanchez in 2001 in Pacific Sports Center in Vallejo, California.
