Sports Eye
Remembering boxer Anthony Villanueva
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
AFTER 40 days at Uncle Sam’s land, I’m back.
My visit this time to the states of Texas and California was my longest, so far. I managed to watch from there some world sporting events on TV like this year’s Tour of California won by Englishman Bradley Wiggins, the French Open lorded by Spanish Rafael Nadal and Russian Maria Sharapova, the NBA Finals triumphed by the San Antonio Spurs, the WBA featherweight title conquest of our very own Nonito Donaire, Jr. over South African Simpewe Vetyeka and some of the elimination matches of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
But I was in Houston morning of May 22 when I learned from my friend Blann Caguioa that the former 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games silver medalist Anthony Villanueva had passed away. I heard Anthony suffered his first stroke many years ago and gradually recovered months later. He lasted long enough to survive it until May 13 at age 69.. Truly sad. We lost a sports hero from Cabuyao, Laguna who made our nation proud by bagging our first ever silver medal in Olympic Games.
Some say that the 19 year-old featherweight (126 lbs) ring warrior was robbed of the gold medal victory, having lost by a hairline score of 60-59. Anthony pummeled the Soviet Union pug Stanislav Stephaskin but unfortunately it was not enough to convince the three judges.
I still recall the violent reaction of late famous boxing analyst and sportscaster Joe Cantada. He was adamant that our country was robbed of the gold medal victory. His reaction was shared even by non-Filipino spectators inside the Korakuen Ice Palace where the match was held. I thought so too. As far as my eyes were concerned, Anthony clearly beat the Russian pug.
I first met Anthony sometime in 1965 at the Pantranco bus station at M. H.del Pilar St. He had just lost his fight with Philippine junior lightweight champion Jimmy Noel for the title fight staged in Dagupan City. He was with his father, Jose ‘Cely” Villanueva, also an Olympian who won a boxing bronze medal in the bantamweight division at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. During our long trip to Manila, we talked a lot about boxing and of course cycling which they praised our province profusely for producing many national champions in the Tour of Luzon.
We bumped into each other again in 1987 in Quezon City while he jogged around the Quezon Memorial Circle and I watched a professional criterium race. We had a brief chat about the race and about his life as a non-boxer. Our third and last meeting was in1997 again in Dagupan. And as expected, our topic was the latest in boxing especially about Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco who duplicated his feat by winning the silver medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. We talked about his life in the U.S. accepting odd jobs just to survive the lifestyle in America. He was still his macho self that time until I saw his frail image one day in our daily newspapers after suffering his fifth stroke. Like a fallen war hero, his (and his father’s) legacy in sports will always remain. They were perhaps the only father-and-son in Asia to win boxing medals in the history of Olympic Games. Goodbye my friend Anthony and may the good Lord gives you the best rest now and forever. Thank you for boosting our country’s image in sports.. You’re a gold medalist in our hearts. The Good Book wrote “I finished the race, I fought a good fight, I have kept the faith. ”That was meant for you Anthony, my friend.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”LUKE 5: 30-3
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