Sports Eye
Ups and downs of PH pro boxing in 2015
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
WE have four world professional boxing champions in 2015 headed by Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (welterweight, 147 lbs), Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. (super bantamweight-featherweight, 122-126 lbs), Brian “The Hawaiian Punch” Viloria (flyweight, 112 lbs), and Donnie “Ahas” Nietes (light flyweight, 108 lbs). Except for Nietes who astonishingly demolished all his foes last year and Donaire regaining his 122 pounds tiara against Mexican slugger Cesar Juarez last December 11, the two (Pacquiao, Viloria) were dethroned in their respective class. Pacman lost to Floyd Mayweather on May 3 and Viloria lost via ninth round technical knockout on October 19 against Nicaraguan Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzales, considered now as the pound-for-pound king in professional world boxing when Mayweather officially retired.
The five-division world champion Donaire suffered two unexpected setbacks. First to the Cuban speedy-puncher Guillermo Rigondeaux for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight unification title bout on April 13, 2013 and a devastating six round knockout to Nicholas Walters in the WBA featherweight world title clash after capturing the belt from South African Simpiwe Vetyeka on May 30, 2014. Reports have it that the Talibon, Bohol-born Donaire will battle former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight king, the Russian Evgeny Grodovich in April and will most be staged at Araneta Coliseum under Bob Arum’s Top Rank. This might be the biggest world title fight in Philippine soil of this year, 2016. A blockbuster, ‘ika nga. I don’t want to miss this encounter and to watch it in the flesh. This could be a helluva fight knowing that Donaire is fighting in his own turf.
Pacman will fight Timothy Bradley anew for the third time in April at Las Vegas to settle the score which the Sarangani lawmaker lost via a controversial split decision, while the second meeting was a unanimous victory for him. We all knew that Pacman pummeled the Mexican Brandon Rios to retain his welterweight title held in Macau but Rios was clobbered and eventually stopped by Bradley last November 7.
“Sa tingin ko tagilid si Pacquiao ngayon dahil nadidisturbo siya sa kanyang political career nationwide dahil sa pagtakbo niya sa pagka-senador at matagal na-layoff samantalang si Bradley ay very impressive sa kanyang laban kay Rios na hindi napatumba ni Pacquiao,” said Efren Cabico of Anda. “Lalo pa naman ngayon na yong laban niya sa April ay tutok sa araw ng eleksyon,” he added. He could be right. Let’s just wait and see, and pray for Pacquiao’s victory.
Nietes is rumored to fight the undefeated Roman Gonzales but Gonzales is evading him for still unknown reason. Maybe he’s asking for a bigger purse than what was initially offered (nagpa-pakipot) with an alibi that he wants to move to one rank heavier, the super flyweight (116 lbs). If the plan pushes through, I think the more experienced Nietes has a chance to dislodge the pesky Nicaraguan. And if Nietes wins, he will be acclaimed a superstar or even an icon in world prizefighting.
It’s very quiet in the camp of Viloria after his humiliating defeat to Gonzales this year. So far no one has been named as his next opponent. All that was said by Viloria was to continue and remain to fight in the flyweight division. Some said Nietes has to fight Viloria to measure how Nietes can go in a heavier division (flyweight) and to dethrone Gonzales. But I believe that cannot happen. We have some potential world champions waiting in the wings like the Pagara siblings (Albert and Jason) Mark Magsayo, Penalosa brothers, Arthur Villanueva, and maybe Milan Melindo. Who knows some of them will become world titlists this year. Let’s wait and see. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
* * * *
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” says the Lord of hosts, “that will leave them neither root or branch. MALACHI 4: 1
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
