ASEAN Summit & Boxing World Cup
Bleacher Talk
Dec. 10, 2006
ASEAN Summit & Boxing World Cup
Call it irony but on the day that the media announced the postponement of the ASEAN Summit, local boxing gets a confirmation from Tony Aldeguer (ALA) that Cebu will host the eagerly-awaited boxing “World Cup” that will feature a Philippines vs. Mexico card on February 25, 2007. I’m no big fan of politics so I’ll take the good news and forget the bad (but learn from it).
Cebu boxing fans were on a high when they heard that SGG Promotions won the purse bid to stage the WBO super flyweight championship fight between champion Fernando Montiel and mandatory challenger Z Gorres. Although we were all excited about the development, this excitement was also “suspended” since there was talk that the fight would be held in Manila. So worry no longer. You can now heave a sigh of relief, say thanks for answered prayers and start saving money asap so you can score a ticket to the fights. Yes, the big show’s coming to town.
The irony of it all is that the “other” big show that’s coming to town has been postponed. After months (or years?) of preparations that included major facelifts, rehearsals and making sure that Cebu is ready, everything suddenly goes pffft! I still have my doubts (like everyone else) that a lady named “Seniang” was the reason for the postponement of the ASEAN Summit, but I guess we’ll just deal with it.
The only concern I have here is that from an outsider’s viewpoint, the postponement may not speak well about Cebu’s hosting big events in general. Whether or not we like it, it now looks like we Cebuanos aren’t ready to host big events like these. Although we don’t have access to inside info and backstage activities that go with the preparations for the summit, I still believe that Cebu is a worthy host to international events, but what about those outside whose contact with Cebu is only through TV and the news? At this point, we don’t even know when the summit will take place with no substitute dates being released by the summit’s organizers.
Will the ASEAN Summit become a sign of things to come? Will it become a precedent for other things such as the boxing World Cup being planned by SGG Promotions? I guess the approach to the issue should be more pro-active.
Let’s then declare that the postponement that hit the ASEAN Summit will not be repeated when SGG Promotions stages the World Cup on February 25, 2007 (or whatever final date is declared by SGG). To think is to create. Think it now and work that this becomes a reality. While the preparations for this may not be of the same magnitude as that of the ASEAN Summit, neither can we say that it’s going to be a walk in the park for SGG’s Sammy Gello-ani.
Remember that we’re now talking about a fight card that may include three WBO world title fights! Already confirmed is the Montiel-Gorres showdown. Being nego’d are fights between WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon and Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista, and WBO bantamweight holder Johnny Gonzales and Gerry Peñalosa. Bringing in three world champions to the country is no big joke. It’s like bringing in all those heads of state of the ASEAN.
This early, we’ll need a lot of assistance from the various local governments of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-lapu and the provincial government of Cebu. While their involvement in past boxing events have been there in their own little way, it’s imperative that they come in to help out in a bigger manner. After all, aren’t we selling Cebu in an event like this? Cebu is the ‘brand” being sold here in the same way that Las Vegas is already known as the boxing capital of the world. Can we then say that Cebu is the boxing capital of the Philippines?
Another crucial concern is the venue for the event. Already being discussed as possible venues for this are the brand new Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), the South Reclamation Project (SRP) or a five-star hotel in the city. But will the CICC have its sports arena up by then? Or are they referring to the current structure that was just blessed Friday? If held at the SRP, this will obviously be an open air event, but ticket sales could be a problem. There was a time when the Waterfront Hotel hosted a number of boxing events, but it also had its limits (aside from its steep asking rental fees).
In last week’s column, we also talked about the financial resources needed to stage this event. It won’t come cheap and will need a lot of help. I’m assuming that SGG has set stringent checkpoints and deadlines for this, but should have enough time to cover all bases in this regard.
Bottom line is that we don’t want that all the work done for preparations suddenly go down the drain for some flimsy reason. Preparations are exactly that: preparation for a big event that WILL take place.
We have another great opportunity to show the world that Cebu is second to none in hosting international sporting events, and not even a sister of “Seniang” is going to stop us.
***
Time-out: Let’s all pray for the safety of the people who will be affected by typhoon “Seniang.” Let’s also pray that no one is hurt and that damage to property is minimized. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
Dec. 10, 2006
ASEAN Summit & Boxing World Cup
Call it irony but on the day that the media announced the postponement of the ASEAN Summit, local boxing gets a confirmation from Tony Aldeguer (ALA) that Cebu will host the eagerly-awaited boxing “World Cup” that will feature a Philippines vs. Mexico card on February 25, 2007. I’m no big fan of politics so I’ll take the good news and forget the bad (but learn from it).
Cebu boxing fans were on a high when they heard that SGG Promotions won the purse bid to stage the WBO super flyweight championship fight between champion Fernando Montiel and mandatory challenger Z Gorres. Although we were all excited about the development, this excitement was also “suspended” since there was talk that the fight would be held in Manila. So worry no longer. You can now heave a sigh of relief, say thanks for answered prayers and start saving money asap so you can score a ticket to the fights. Yes, the big show’s coming to town.
The irony of it all is that the “other” big show that’s coming to town has been postponed. After months (or years?) of preparations that included major facelifts, rehearsals and making sure that Cebu is ready, everything suddenly goes pffft! I still have my doubts (like everyone else) that a lady named “Seniang” was the reason for the postponement of the ASEAN Summit, but I guess we’ll just deal with it.
The only concern I have here is that from an outsider’s viewpoint, the postponement may not speak well about Cebu’s hosting big events in general. Whether or not we like it, it now looks like we Cebuanos aren’t ready to host big events like these. Although we don’t have access to inside info and backstage activities that go with the preparations for the summit, I still believe that Cebu is a worthy host to international events, but what about those outside whose contact with Cebu is only through TV and the news? At this point, we don’t even know when the summit will take place with no substitute dates being released by the summit’s organizers.
Will the ASEAN Summit become a sign of things to come? Will it become a precedent for other things such as the boxing World Cup being planned by SGG Promotions? I guess the approach to the issue should be more pro-active.
Let’s then declare that the postponement that hit the ASEAN Summit will not be repeated when SGG Promotions stages the World Cup on February 25, 2007 (or whatever final date is declared by SGG). To think is to create. Think it now and work that this becomes a reality. While the preparations for this may not be of the same magnitude as that of the ASEAN Summit, neither can we say that it’s going to be a walk in the park for SGG’s Sammy Gello-ani.
Remember that we’re now talking about a fight card that may include three WBO world title fights! Already confirmed is the Montiel-Gorres showdown. Being nego’d are fights between WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon and Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista, and WBO bantamweight holder Johnny Gonzales and Gerry Peñalosa. Bringing in three world champions to the country is no big joke. It’s like bringing in all those heads of state of the ASEAN.
This early, we’ll need a lot of assistance from the various local governments of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-lapu and the provincial government of Cebu. While their involvement in past boxing events have been there in their own little way, it’s imperative that they come in to help out in a bigger manner. After all, aren’t we selling Cebu in an event like this? Cebu is the ‘brand” being sold here in the same way that Las Vegas is already known as the boxing capital of the world. Can we then say that Cebu is the boxing capital of the Philippines?
Another crucial concern is the venue for the event. Already being discussed as possible venues for this are the brand new Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), the South Reclamation Project (SRP) or a five-star hotel in the city. But will the CICC have its sports arena up by then? Or are they referring to the current structure that was just blessed Friday? If held at the SRP, this will obviously be an open air event, but ticket sales could be a problem. There was a time when the Waterfront Hotel hosted a number of boxing events, but it also had its limits (aside from its steep asking rental fees).
In last week’s column, we also talked about the financial resources needed to stage this event. It won’t come cheap and will need a lot of help. I’m assuming that SGG has set stringent checkpoints and deadlines for this, but should have enough time to cover all bases in this regard.
Bottom line is that we don’t want that all the work done for preparations suddenly go down the drain for some flimsy reason. Preparations are exactly that: preparation for a big event that WILL take place.
We have another great opportunity to show the world that Cebu is second to none in hosting international sporting events, and not even a sister of “Seniang” is going to stop us.
***
Time-out: Let’s all pray for the safety of the people who will be affected by typhoon “Seniang.” Let’s also pray that no one is hurt and that damage to property is minimized. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
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