Back on Track?
Bleacher Talk
May 3, 2008
Back on Track?
When one talks about comebacking athletes or sportsmen, the prognosis is almost always negative. Their chances of doing well are always downplayed as they’re already branded as “has beens” or over the hill.
In a strange twist of comeback stories, boxers Rodel Mayol and Bert Batawang find themselves in similar situations with a mission to prove that they shouldn’t be considered as part of this lot. They’re hoping to get back on track on their path back to a world championship, facing Thai opponents last night at the Cebu Coliseum. Batawang faced off against Samransak Singmanassak for the WBO Oriental light flyweight championship while Mayol went up against Wisan Sor Suchanya in a non-title bout. Both are hoping that winning last night would re-start their once fledging careers that were interrupted by unfortunate events.
Ironically Mayol and Batawang lost to Ulysseus Solis in their respective and unsuccessful attempts to win the IBF world light flyweight championship. Mayol went on to lose another fight after his title challenge, while Batawang won his next bout last month.
Another sports personality who’s also making a comeback of sorts is boxing promoter Sammy “Don King” Gello-ani. The Cebu boxing scene hasn’t heard from him in awhile, and last night’s boxing card was his first in a long time after setting up boxing events in Mindanao and Manila. And he couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate venue than the Cebu Coliseum, once known as THE venue for Cebu Boxing in from the 70s to the 90s. Last night’s event was thus also a comeback of sorts for the Cebu Coliseum.
So who among these personalities will do well in their comebacks? Will the use of the Cebu Coliseum also mean a comeback for the once fabled hotbed of boxing?
Mayol and Batawang have tremendous uphill battles to climb if they are to chase their dream of a world championship. Although Mayol has already lost twice in separate world championship fights, many people believe that he still has the tools to become a world champion. He has had a rocky experience with all the switching of managers with many saying that if he had stayed with the ALA Gym, he would’ve been a world champ by now. But that’s all water under the bridge and the only person who’ll go out to prove all skeptics wrong is Mayol himself. Last night’s fight will be an initial gauge per se to see if he’s ready to make a real comeback. I won’t be looking for a win per se. I’ll be keeping an eye on his confidence level, mental preparedness and heart even before drooling at his world-class skills that gave him an OPBF championship.
Batawang is a grilled warrior who has been to many wars. One of the reasons why SGG and members of the boxing family love him is because he’s such a humble and simple person who deserves everything he has received from boxing. Note that he’s no longer as young as Mayol or the other Cebu blue chip prospects, but he keeps plodding along like any good soldier. He’s a model in work ethic not only as a boxer but also as a father and head of the family who manages a small business along with his wife (or vice versa as some might say). You’ll never hear something bad about him from his friends and colleagues.
And who doesn’t know SGG or Cebu’s Don King? Back in his comfort zone of Cebu after “flings” down south and in the big city, he’s finally home. With his homecoming to Cebu, we can expect Cebu Boxing to be buzzing even more, with activities already set for the rest of the year. His homecoming might have been delayed for awhile, but he’s a welcome sight back in the boxing scene. More boxing means more opportunities for more boxers, managers and trainers. With the RWS Promotions slowing down a bit in terms of big time boxing promotions, we only have SGG and ALA Promotions providing us boxing all-year round, with both filled with young upstarts who’ll keep us fans busy for a long time.
I watched my first pro boxing fight as a kid tagging along with my father at the Cebu Coliseum when rattan chairs and the open five-point must scoring system was still in place (yes, I’m getting there in age). And I do miss those times when it was packed with fans. But somehow, I feel that boxing might just be ready to make Cebu Coliseum a hotbed once again.
In the end, Mayol and Batawang are the only people who will chart their own destinies. Now that their problems of the past are gone, there’s no one else to blame but themselves if they fail in their comebacks. I don’t see any problems for SGG on his own comeback. He was never really out of the picture in the first place. He was simply “on leave.” The biggest comeback story may actually be the Cebu Coliseum for boxing. Like Mayol and Batawang, Cebu Coliseum has a great potential to become the hotbed of boxing again, but does it want to reach this level? Does it truly want to become the icon as a sports venue in Cebu?
Back on track for all four? Let’s see.
***
Time-out: The Milo Best Center basketball clinic will be held from May 5-10 at the Sacred Heart School-Jesuit gym along Mango Ave. For more details, you can call telephone #’s 516-9036, 0918-939-4846, 0923-342-8913, or email to bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
May 3, 2008
Back on Track?
When one talks about comebacking athletes or sportsmen, the prognosis is almost always negative. Their chances of doing well are always downplayed as they’re already branded as “has beens” or over the hill.
In a strange twist of comeback stories, boxers Rodel Mayol and Bert Batawang find themselves in similar situations with a mission to prove that they shouldn’t be considered as part of this lot. They’re hoping to get back on track on their path back to a world championship, facing Thai opponents last night at the Cebu Coliseum. Batawang faced off against Samransak Singmanassak for the WBO Oriental light flyweight championship while Mayol went up against Wisan Sor Suchanya in a non-title bout. Both are hoping that winning last night would re-start their once fledging careers that were interrupted by unfortunate events.
Ironically Mayol and Batawang lost to Ulysseus Solis in their respective and unsuccessful attempts to win the IBF world light flyweight championship. Mayol went on to lose another fight after his title challenge, while Batawang won his next bout last month.
Another sports personality who’s also making a comeback of sorts is boxing promoter Sammy “Don King” Gello-ani. The Cebu boxing scene hasn’t heard from him in awhile, and last night’s boxing card was his first in a long time after setting up boxing events in Mindanao and Manila. And he couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate venue than the Cebu Coliseum, once known as THE venue for Cebu Boxing in from the 70s to the 90s. Last night’s event was thus also a comeback of sorts for the Cebu Coliseum.
So who among these personalities will do well in their comebacks? Will the use of the Cebu Coliseum also mean a comeback for the once fabled hotbed of boxing?
Mayol and Batawang have tremendous uphill battles to climb if they are to chase their dream of a world championship. Although Mayol has already lost twice in separate world championship fights, many people believe that he still has the tools to become a world champion. He has had a rocky experience with all the switching of managers with many saying that if he had stayed with the ALA Gym, he would’ve been a world champ by now. But that’s all water under the bridge and the only person who’ll go out to prove all skeptics wrong is Mayol himself. Last night’s fight will be an initial gauge per se to see if he’s ready to make a real comeback. I won’t be looking for a win per se. I’ll be keeping an eye on his confidence level, mental preparedness and heart even before drooling at his world-class skills that gave him an OPBF championship.
Batawang is a grilled warrior who has been to many wars. One of the reasons why SGG and members of the boxing family love him is because he’s such a humble and simple person who deserves everything he has received from boxing. Note that he’s no longer as young as Mayol or the other Cebu blue chip prospects, but he keeps plodding along like any good soldier. He’s a model in work ethic not only as a boxer but also as a father and head of the family who manages a small business along with his wife (or vice versa as some might say). You’ll never hear something bad about him from his friends and colleagues.
And who doesn’t know SGG or Cebu’s Don King? Back in his comfort zone of Cebu after “flings” down south and in the big city, he’s finally home. With his homecoming to Cebu, we can expect Cebu Boxing to be buzzing even more, with activities already set for the rest of the year. His homecoming might have been delayed for awhile, but he’s a welcome sight back in the boxing scene. More boxing means more opportunities for more boxers, managers and trainers. With the RWS Promotions slowing down a bit in terms of big time boxing promotions, we only have SGG and ALA Promotions providing us boxing all-year round, with both filled with young upstarts who’ll keep us fans busy for a long time.
I watched my first pro boxing fight as a kid tagging along with my father at the Cebu Coliseum when rattan chairs and the open five-point must scoring system was still in place (yes, I’m getting there in age). And I do miss those times when it was packed with fans. But somehow, I feel that boxing might just be ready to make Cebu Coliseum a hotbed once again.
In the end, Mayol and Batawang are the only people who will chart their own destinies. Now that their problems of the past are gone, there’s no one else to blame but themselves if they fail in their comebacks. I don’t see any problems for SGG on his own comeback. He was never really out of the picture in the first place. He was simply “on leave.” The biggest comeback story may actually be the Cebu Coliseum for boxing. Like Mayol and Batawang, Cebu Coliseum has a great potential to become the hotbed of boxing again, but does it want to reach this level? Does it truly want to become the icon as a sports venue in Cebu?
Back on track for all four? Let’s see.
***
Time-out: The Milo Best Center basketball clinic will be held from May 5-10 at the Sacred Heart School-Jesuit gym along Mango Ave. For more details, you can call telephone #’s 516-9036, 0918-939-4846, 0923-342-8913, or email to bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
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