Ordinary Boxing
Bleacher Talk
March 9, 2008
Ordinary Boxing
Ordinary Boxing. Yes, it’s just an ordinary headline, but I hope it doesn’t send the wrong signal to boxing fans. But this is the latest trend in boxing that we’ll all have to accept. Let’s explain.
I use the term ordinary when describing local boxing events but can also replace this with such words as “regular”, “the usual” or “nothing special.” And I don’t mean this in a negative manner. In fact, this is the result of Cebu Boxing elevating or upgrading itself to a higher level.
The norm for Cebu Boxing these days is seeing the likes of Gerry Peñalosa, Z Gorres, Randy Suico, Boom Boom Bautista, AJ Banal and Cebu’s other top boxers seeing action in the United States against foreign opponents. They will most likely no longer face a Pinoy on top of the ring for the rest of their careers. Let’s just say that it’s like they’ve “graduated” from the local boxing scene of tune-up fights and mismatches against countrymen.
They’ll still have fights in the Philippines, but these will surely be against foreign guests. An example here are the upcoming fights of Peñalosa, Bautista and Banal against foreign opponents at the Araneta Coliseum on April 6. Also included in the card is Bert Batawang. Also in the preparation stage are the next fights of Suico and Rodel Mayol supposedly against Mexicans here in Cebu in the end of April. Also preparing for his first title defense is WBO world miniflyweight champion Donnie Nietes who’ll be fighting in Dubai also in April.
As one can see, all these fights abroad or against foreign opponents isn’t exactly ordinary after all. The good news is that this is now the ordinary. The norm. The everyday thing of local boxing. Great di ba?
While we enjoy this scenario and become proud of what’s happening to Cebu Boxing, we should also remember that there’s the other component of local boxing that needs to be given attention. It’s still local boxing, but is more “local” or “ordinary” that what our top boxers are doing these days. We’re talking about the need to continue promoting boxing events for the young and up and coming boxers. Moreover, we as fans should also support these promotions since this is where all our biggest stars learn the ropes, grow up and start their careers.
At Friday night’s “Do or Die” event at the Mandaue Sports Complex, WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight champion Milan Milendo headlined a card that had no Boom Boom, Gorres or Bazooka being advertised on the event’s flyers and posters. Instead, the names of Pagara, Haya were listed in the undercard. At last month’s Sinulog boxing event, a not so well known Jomamz Omanz was featured in the main event. The other boxers were participants in the Idol Boxing program who are still in their teens. Last December, there were four boxing events which featured more of these young upstarts including the finals of the Idol Boxing Competition.
Did you as a boxing fan know about all these events? Or were you more concerned about the Gorres-Darchinyan fight last month? I’ve even restrained myself from talking about the Pacquiao-Marquez rematch next week, and that’s because we would like to give more attention to the other side of local boxing that is just as important and valuable as the fights of the Boom Booms and Banals of Cebu Boxing.
We should all remember that all of today’s top boxers spent a lot of their time gaining the much-needed exposure, experience and maturity while taking part in the many local boxing promotions featuring not so familiar names and faces. This is where the discriminating fans discover top-notch prospects and outright hopeless cases. You’ll get to see the raw talent of all boxers who fight their guts out just to impress their managers, trainers and scouts on to look-out. They’re all literally diamonds in the rough just hoping and waiting for that big break that dawned upon their more senior and poplar colleagues. And this all contributes to a night of boxing fun. The irony of it all is that the action that is at times missing in the big boxing events, can be found in these many smaller promotions.
So each time you hear about a boxing promotion with unfamiliar names, don’t ignore or set it aside. Take a closer look at it as you’re already looking at boxing’s future stars. Ordinary boxing? For now yes, but not for long.
**
Time-out: Happy birthday to Neil Faicol, the pride of Miag-ao, Iloilo. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com or 0923-342-8193 (for SunCell subscribers).
March 9, 2008
Ordinary Boxing
Ordinary Boxing. Yes, it’s just an ordinary headline, but I hope it doesn’t send the wrong signal to boxing fans. But this is the latest trend in boxing that we’ll all have to accept. Let’s explain.
I use the term ordinary when describing local boxing events but can also replace this with such words as “regular”, “the usual” or “nothing special.” And I don’t mean this in a negative manner. In fact, this is the result of Cebu Boxing elevating or upgrading itself to a higher level.
The norm for Cebu Boxing these days is seeing the likes of Gerry Peñalosa, Z Gorres, Randy Suico, Boom Boom Bautista, AJ Banal and Cebu’s other top boxers seeing action in the United States against foreign opponents. They will most likely no longer face a Pinoy on top of the ring for the rest of their careers. Let’s just say that it’s like they’ve “graduated” from the local boxing scene of tune-up fights and mismatches against countrymen.
They’ll still have fights in the Philippines, but these will surely be against foreign guests. An example here are the upcoming fights of Peñalosa, Bautista and Banal against foreign opponents at the Araneta Coliseum on April 6. Also included in the card is Bert Batawang. Also in the preparation stage are the next fights of Suico and Rodel Mayol supposedly against Mexicans here in Cebu in the end of April. Also preparing for his first title defense is WBO world miniflyweight champion Donnie Nietes who’ll be fighting in Dubai also in April.
As one can see, all these fights abroad or against foreign opponents isn’t exactly ordinary after all. The good news is that this is now the ordinary. The norm. The everyday thing of local boxing. Great di ba?
While we enjoy this scenario and become proud of what’s happening to Cebu Boxing, we should also remember that there’s the other component of local boxing that needs to be given attention. It’s still local boxing, but is more “local” or “ordinary” that what our top boxers are doing these days. We’re talking about the need to continue promoting boxing events for the young and up and coming boxers. Moreover, we as fans should also support these promotions since this is where all our biggest stars learn the ropes, grow up and start their careers.
At Friday night’s “Do or Die” event at the Mandaue Sports Complex, WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight champion Milan Milendo headlined a card that had no Boom Boom, Gorres or Bazooka being advertised on the event’s flyers and posters. Instead, the names of Pagara, Haya were listed in the undercard. At last month’s Sinulog boxing event, a not so well known Jomamz Omanz was featured in the main event. The other boxers were participants in the Idol Boxing program who are still in their teens. Last December, there were four boxing events which featured more of these young upstarts including the finals of the Idol Boxing Competition.
Did you as a boxing fan know about all these events? Or were you more concerned about the Gorres-Darchinyan fight last month? I’ve even restrained myself from talking about the Pacquiao-Marquez rematch next week, and that’s because we would like to give more attention to the other side of local boxing that is just as important and valuable as the fights of the Boom Booms and Banals of Cebu Boxing.
We should all remember that all of today’s top boxers spent a lot of their time gaining the much-needed exposure, experience and maturity while taking part in the many local boxing promotions featuring not so familiar names and faces. This is where the discriminating fans discover top-notch prospects and outright hopeless cases. You’ll get to see the raw talent of all boxers who fight their guts out just to impress their managers, trainers and scouts on to look-out. They’re all literally diamonds in the rough just hoping and waiting for that big break that dawned upon their more senior and poplar colleagues. And this all contributes to a night of boxing fun. The irony of it all is that the action that is at times missing in the big boxing events, can be found in these many smaller promotions.
So each time you hear about a boxing promotion with unfamiliar names, don’t ignore or set it aside. Take a closer look at it as you’re already looking at boxing’s future stars. Ordinary boxing? For now yes, but not for long.
**
Time-out: Happy birthday to Neil Faicol, the pride of Miag-ao, Iloilo. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com or 0923-342-8193 (for SunCell subscribers).
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