Go ALA, Go SGG!
Bleacher Talk
December 3, 2006
Go ALA, Go SGG!
The Pinoy boxing scene is rejoicing these days, still on a high after Manny Pacquiao’s three-round KO win over Erik Morales. This high was extended when Sammy “Don King” Gello-ani of SGG Promotions won the purse bid to stage the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight championship fight between champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico and Cebu’s Z Gorres. And it could be on another high when Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista overcomes Giovanni Andrade this morning (Saturday night in the U.S.).
Another page in the history books of Pinoy boxing is being written once again by Cebu Boxing, and we should all be proud of what Sammy has done under the leadership of someone who goes by the initials ALA, and the support of Golden Boy Promotions.
But the even as us fans continue to rejoice over this latest feat, you can be sure that the celebration of the ALA/SGG/Golden Boy (GB) team was marked with a different type of atmosphere. You can bet that instead of celebrating the night away, they rolled up their sleeves and buckled down to work asap. It was planning time at once. After all, this was not just a regular fight. This is a world championship fight to be held in the Philippines in two months (tentative date: mid-February 2007). And we’re praying that Cebu is the venue unless some irreversible factors bring the fight to Manila. Do you remember when the last world championship fight was held in the country? On April 25, 1998, Gerry Peñalosa’s WBC super flyweight title defense against Joel Luna Zarate ended in a technical draw. On December 6, 1997, Luisito Espinosa disposed of Carlos Rios of Argentina via a 6th round KO. (Nine years later today, Espinosa still hasn’t received his purse!) For the record, Dindo Castañares and Peñalosa won WBF world titles between 2004 and 2005, but nobody considers the WBF a major player in international boxing.
This early, Golden Boy is already thinking of a Philippines vs. Mexico card with the Montiel-Gorres fight as the main event. And it’s expected to be better than “Mano A Mano” card that featured the Pacquiao-Oscar Larios main event. They are certain that that a card with this kind of drama will sell well to both fans and sponsors. For the card to draw a following, it will have to be positioned not only as a regional competition thing. It must also be trumpeted to be featuring the country’s top candidates for a world championship. That’s why I’d like to see the fight take place in Cebu where Cebuanos will surely fill up the venue. It’s tougher to fill up venues in Manila especially when the main event’s local side is a Cebuano (and not named Pacquiao).
From the matchmaking perspective, SGG and GB won’t find it difficult to tap Pinoy boxers. Already under GB’s fold are Gorres and Bautista with a few more waiting to be tapped. Jaca’s name has been mentioned while the young guns of the ALA Gym will surely get the call to carry the tri-colors of the country. I’d love to see the likes of AJ Banal and Mark Jason Melligen in the card. GB’s network with Latino boxers is already a given that this is would be the easier task from a matchmaker’s angle.
As expected, funding will be a major concern here but with GB at his side, SGG is sleeping much better these days, a luxury he couldn’t afford when he had no definite international partner in the past. One of the major sources of funding will surely be TV rights both here and abroad. The “down side” of this event is that Gorres is not a Pacquiao. While TV producers will readily grab at the opportunity to cover the fights, I don’t think they can be pressed to come in to a bidding war scenario much in the same way that TV stations fight over Pacquiao’s fights. Top contenders for the local broadcast would be the Solar Sports group and ABS-CBN. The VIVA group might also be somewhere around if they can get the additional funding for it.
Golden Boy will surely take care of the TV rights on other side of the globe, targeting both the Mexican and Filipino markets in the U.S. and Mexico. While this may not be at the same level as “The Grand Finale,” the Philippines-Mexico angle should get some curious and loyal boxing fans to sign up for pay-per-view subscriptions. An interesting figure to monitor is if U.S.-based Pinoy boxing fans are willing to buy PPV subscriptions to watch Gorres. Offhand, the Pinoy boxing fans in the U.S. who will most likely sign up would be those in PACLAND (www.mannypacquiao.ph) and those who got to know Gorres at the Wild Card Gym.
Another income source that has to be nego’d today would be local sponsors. Will the likes of San Miguel, PLDT and Smart (or Globe) sign up? Will other big brand names that usually support boxing step up and lend a hand? This is the dilemma for being Cebu-based. You’re hardly known among the biggest advertisers whose decisions emanate from Manila. But with the right network, I’m sure SGG will get it done.
Amidst all these hard work, I feel that the biggest victory belongs to ALA, SGG and Cebu Boxing. After long years of supporting local boxing, searching for world-beaters and going through the ups and downs of the sport, they’ve finally hit it big in the international scene, earning the respect from no less than the Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya.
SGG and ALA will both tell you that it has been a long and winding road, but they’re not going to stop now. Go ALA! Go SGG!
***
Time-out: Today is the first Sunday of Advent….giving us lots of time to prepare the biggest birthday of all time. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
December 3, 2006
Go ALA, Go SGG!
The Pinoy boxing scene is rejoicing these days, still on a high after Manny Pacquiao’s three-round KO win over Erik Morales. This high was extended when Sammy “Don King” Gello-ani of SGG Promotions won the purse bid to stage the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight championship fight between champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico and Cebu’s Z Gorres. And it could be on another high when Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista overcomes Giovanni Andrade this morning (Saturday night in the U.S.).
Another page in the history books of Pinoy boxing is being written once again by Cebu Boxing, and we should all be proud of what Sammy has done under the leadership of someone who goes by the initials ALA, and the support of Golden Boy Promotions.
But the even as us fans continue to rejoice over this latest feat, you can be sure that the celebration of the ALA/SGG/Golden Boy (GB) team was marked with a different type of atmosphere. You can bet that instead of celebrating the night away, they rolled up their sleeves and buckled down to work asap. It was planning time at once. After all, this was not just a regular fight. This is a world championship fight to be held in the Philippines in two months (tentative date: mid-February 2007). And we’re praying that Cebu is the venue unless some irreversible factors bring the fight to Manila. Do you remember when the last world championship fight was held in the country? On April 25, 1998, Gerry Peñalosa’s WBC super flyweight title defense against Joel Luna Zarate ended in a technical draw. On December 6, 1997, Luisito Espinosa disposed of Carlos Rios of Argentina via a 6th round KO. (Nine years later today, Espinosa still hasn’t received his purse!) For the record, Dindo Castañares and Peñalosa won WBF world titles between 2004 and 2005, but nobody considers the WBF a major player in international boxing.
This early, Golden Boy is already thinking of a Philippines vs. Mexico card with the Montiel-Gorres fight as the main event. And it’s expected to be better than “Mano A Mano” card that featured the Pacquiao-Oscar Larios main event. They are certain that that a card with this kind of drama will sell well to both fans and sponsors. For the card to draw a following, it will have to be positioned not only as a regional competition thing. It must also be trumpeted to be featuring the country’s top candidates for a world championship. That’s why I’d like to see the fight take place in Cebu where Cebuanos will surely fill up the venue. It’s tougher to fill up venues in Manila especially when the main event’s local side is a Cebuano (and not named Pacquiao).
From the matchmaking perspective, SGG and GB won’t find it difficult to tap Pinoy boxers. Already under GB’s fold are Gorres and Bautista with a few more waiting to be tapped. Jaca’s name has been mentioned while the young guns of the ALA Gym will surely get the call to carry the tri-colors of the country. I’d love to see the likes of AJ Banal and Mark Jason Melligen in the card. GB’s network with Latino boxers is already a given that this is would be the easier task from a matchmaker’s angle.
As expected, funding will be a major concern here but with GB at his side, SGG is sleeping much better these days, a luxury he couldn’t afford when he had no definite international partner in the past. One of the major sources of funding will surely be TV rights both here and abroad. The “down side” of this event is that Gorres is not a Pacquiao. While TV producers will readily grab at the opportunity to cover the fights, I don’t think they can be pressed to come in to a bidding war scenario much in the same way that TV stations fight over Pacquiao’s fights. Top contenders for the local broadcast would be the Solar Sports group and ABS-CBN. The VIVA group might also be somewhere around if they can get the additional funding for it.
Golden Boy will surely take care of the TV rights on other side of the globe, targeting both the Mexican and Filipino markets in the U.S. and Mexico. While this may not be at the same level as “The Grand Finale,” the Philippines-Mexico angle should get some curious and loyal boxing fans to sign up for pay-per-view subscriptions. An interesting figure to monitor is if U.S.-based Pinoy boxing fans are willing to buy PPV subscriptions to watch Gorres. Offhand, the Pinoy boxing fans in the U.S. who will most likely sign up would be those in PACLAND (www.mannypacquiao.ph) and those who got to know Gorres at the Wild Card Gym.
Another income source that has to be nego’d today would be local sponsors. Will the likes of San Miguel, PLDT and Smart (or Globe) sign up? Will other big brand names that usually support boxing step up and lend a hand? This is the dilemma for being Cebu-based. You’re hardly known among the biggest advertisers whose decisions emanate from Manila. But with the right network, I’m sure SGG will get it done.
Amidst all these hard work, I feel that the biggest victory belongs to ALA, SGG and Cebu Boxing. After long years of supporting local boxing, searching for world-beaters and going through the ups and downs of the sport, they’ve finally hit it big in the international scene, earning the respect from no less than the Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya.
SGG and ALA will both tell you that it has been a long and winding road, but they’re not going to stop now. Go ALA! Go SGG!
***
Time-out: Today is the first Sunday of Advent….giving us lots of time to prepare the biggest birthday of all time. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
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