PACQUIAO’S ANAHEIM TRIP CANCELLED? INSIDERS CAN’T TELL
While Manny Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee said today that her famous husband is leaving tonight on a PAL flight to the United States, another member of Team Pacquiao has indicated that the trip has been shelved after Pacman overstayed the whole night playing pool and was too tired to make the trip.
Promoter Bob Arum had wanted Pacquiao to fly to the US so they could discuss the April 28 fight against In jin Chi in Macau, and the Pinoy idol was supposed to sign the dotted lines for that fight–that is, sign the papers after January 31, for obvious reasons.
Pacquiao, according to Arum, had also wanted to be at ringside to cheer for his good pal Jorge Arce, who is taking his hat and lollipop to fight Julio David Ler at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. (MEMO TO ARUM: Aside from taking a close watch at Arce, take also a close look at undefeated Filipino featherweight Mercito Gesta who is fighting in an 8-rounder on the under card. You’ll be awed, sir.)
BAUTISTA TO USE ‘BOOM TARAT’ JINGLE FOR FEB. 24?
Move over, Congressman Migs Zubiri. Here’s one who more deserves the ditty.
Undefeated Rey ‘Boom Boom Bautista, who is slated to face Feider Viloria on February 24 at the Cebu City Sports Center, will most likely use the world’s most popular jingle ‘Boom Tarat’ for his showdown with the 23-year-old Colombian bomber.
According to Bautista’s chief handler Antonio L. Aldeguer, his camp is actually contemplating on asking television giant ABS-CBN for permission to use the jingle, while promoter Sammy ‘Don King’ Gello-ani is all too pleased with the ‘Boom Tarat’ spin.
“Wow, i mean, why not? If that is what the fans want, then let’s boom tarat,” informed Gello-ani in an interview yesterday.
“Because Rey Bautista is the true bigatin ng Bohol,” suggested a fan, when asked if ‘Boom Tarat’ and Bautista would make a good pair.
The jingle, composed by popular novelty song composer Lito Camo, airs daily at the noontime show ‘Wowowee’ hosted by Willie Revillame, and is a big hit among the masses including young children.
Television giant ABS-CBN had earlier warned politicians that only Bukidnon Representative Miguel Zubiri is allowed to use the jingle, as approved by composer Camo.
However, as Bautista is not a politician, and Camo being a huge boxing fan and ABS-CBN being the exclusive coveror of the ‘Moment of Truth’ card on February 24, it won’t be too much of a stretch to imagine Bautista going up the ring while ‘Boom Tarat’ blares from the background while thousands of fans gyrate to the tune of ‘ta-ra-rat.’
UCLA CONFIRMS OMAR NINO TEST; VILORIA-SOSA UP NEXT?
A laboratory test done at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) has confirmed that WBC junior flyweight champion Omar Nino had indeed tested positive of metaamphetamines following his rematch with Fil-Am Brian Viloria last November 18 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Earlier, Nino was also found positive of the banned substance by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which handed down a suspension on the Mexican fighter following the announcement of the laboratory findings.
As such, the WBC will most likely strip Omar Nino of his title, although WBC president Jose Sulaiman also announced to the press that Nino questioned the validity of the UCLA test as “he did not sign the container nor saw anyone seal it,” before the samples were taken to the laboratory. Nino, according to Sulaiman, has demanded that a DNA test be done to prove that he is not guilty of the charges that he used banned substances before the fight.
With these latest developments, the WBC will also likely allow no. 1 contender Brian Viloria and no. 2 ranked Edgar Sosa to vie for the vacant title.
Omar Nino had retained the WBC title by eking out a hard-earned draw with Viloria underneath the Manny Pacquiao-Erik Morales ‘Grand Finale.’
Lawyer Gary Gittelsohn, who managers Viloria, had earlier stated that they would demand that the title be awarded once against to Viloria, although they would also accept it if the WBC would rule that his ward fight the next highest rated contender in the division.
Sosa, 27, hails from Mexico City and parades a record of 26 wins, 5 losses with 14 knockout wins.
JACA BATTLES BUTAR-BUTAR FOR WBO CROWN
Filipino prospect Jimrex ‘The Executioner’ Jaca will get his crack at the WBO Asia Pacific super-featherweight title when he challenges Indonesian titleholder Simson Butar Butar on February 24 underneath the Z Gorres-Fernando Montiel ‘Moment of Truth’ card at the Cebu City Sports Complex.
This was confirmed yesterday by promoter Sammy ‘Don King’ Gello-ani, who said that Jaca will be fighting the Indon champ in a 12-round duel before he takes part in the huge May 5 card pitting Oscar De la Hoya against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“Everything is in place. Jimrex will be fighting for the title against the very dangerous champion from Indonesia,” Gello-ani said in an interview yesterday.
Butar Butar gained notoriety among Filipino fans when he dethroned Czar Amonsot in a single round for the WBO crown last September 23 in Tagbilaran City, which was a repeat of his technical knockout win over Amonsot in 2005.
Jaca, for his part, gained prominence after a losing yet gallant stand against Juan Manuel Marquez last November 25, a performance that prompted his promoter Oscar De la Hoya to announce that he would be giving Jaca a slot in the mammoth May 5 event at the MGM Grand, which is easily the richest boxing event in the history of the sport.
The Sibulan, Negros-raised Jaca is currently training at the famed ALA Gym under the watchful guidance of trainer Robert Bubuli, who had earlier been hired by Golden Boy Promotions to take care of Jaca.
BARDON VIES FOR OPBF FLYWEIGHT CROWN
Philippine flyweight champion and OPBF no. 1 Jojo Bardon of RWS Stable will vie for the vacant OPBF flyweight title on March 18 against no. 4 Masaharu Naganawa at the International Conference Hall in Nagoya, Japan.
The 27-year-old Bardon, raised in San Carlos City but based in Cebu, is coming off a successful defense of his RP crown against Jun Eraham and Bert Gawat, and will be seeing action in his biggest fight to date.
Naganawa, an undefeated Japanese prospect, boasts of a 11-0-2, 2 KO’s record, although he does not carry much pop in his punches based on his resume.
In his last fight, Naganawa stopped Filipino Gilbert De la Torres in seven rounds in Nagoya for his only bout against a foreign boxer.
