Quijano: Lowering the “Boom”

CIRCA 2007 when this column was in its embryonic stage, Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista was then one of the fresh faces of Philippine boxing.

The sport was riding high on the crest of Manny Pacquiao’s success and with that came the heralding of a bunch of hopefuls eager to follow the Pacman’s seminal path and possibly replicate his success.

Horsemen to seek sports bodies’ backing

THE Philippine Horse Federation (PHF) president Anton Quisumbing plans to send a proposal to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) with the hope that their organization will be recognized among the National Sports Associations (NSA) in the country.

City Rugby Club goes to villages to train youngsters

FROM schools, the Cebu City Rugby Club (CCRC) volunteers extend their program to the barangays, hoping to push the sport of rugby in the city.

This Saturday, the group will hold a rugby clinic at Sandtrap, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., for the children of Barangay Cogon, Ramos.

Mixers, Bolts in final semis

SAN Mig Coffee Mixers and Meralco Bolts collide today to dispute the last semifinal berth of the 38th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

‘Donayre got a plan’

WITH his recent improvement in striking, submission specialist Vaughn Donayre is willing to stand up and trade with striker Rex De Lara this Saturday in the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) 23 “Unrivaled” at the SMX Convention Center in Manila.  

“We are not sure what will happen in this fight because De Lara is a good boxer, but we have a game plan for him,” Yaw-Yan Ardigma founder Benigno “Ekin” Caniga Jr. told Sun.Star Cebu. “Whoever lands first, Vaughn has improved his striking. This will be a great fight.”

Concepcion knocks Indo

BERNABE Concepcion ended a six-month lull last Sunday night with an impressive performance at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.

Concepcion, a two-time world title challenger, demolished Indonesian journeyman Boido Simanjuntak in the seventh round.

Boom-Boom Bautista quits at 26

ONE of the most exciting Filipino fighters has hung up his gloves after 10 years in the brutal sport of boxing. Rey Bautista or better known to the public as “Boom-Boom” for his heavy hands has retired from boxing following his split decision defeat to Jose Ramirez last Saturday night in Davao City.

Region 7 struggles on first day

DUMAGUETE CITY—The gymnastics squad of the University of the Visayas became the saving grace for the host region when it won silver medals in the men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics yesterday.

Day 1 of the Palarong Pambansa has been laced with huge disappointments for Region 7 as the day ended without a single medal from the medal-rich athletics competition. It was only later in the day when news broke that Region 7 won’t be medal-less in the first day.

Pagara eager to fight Mexican

DESPITE his fight being still a month away, Jason Pagara is raring to go and punish his Mexican adversary for the Pinoy Pride 20– “Laban kung Laban” boxing event.

Pagara will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) International light welterweight crown against Aaron Herrera on May 25 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

Sabillo now a regular champion

MERLITO Sabillo has been elevated from interim to regular mini-flyweight champion by the World Boxing Organization (WBO).

“It’s confirmed that he is the world champion,” ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer announced in a press conference at St. Marks Hotel yesterday.

Pages: Bye-bye, Boom Boom

LAST December, it was Pacquiao. Last April 6, it was Viloria. The other weekend, it was Donaire. And, last Sunday, it was Boom Boom.

Thus far, of world champs and of world-champ-wannabes, it’s been loss after loss for the Pinoys.

Mendoza: Retire Bautista and sadly, no one will holler

COMPILING what could only be dubbed as a brilliant record by any yardstick of excellence—22 straight wins against not a single loss, with 18 knockouts to boot—Rey “Boom! Boom!” Bautista was on his way to fame and glory.

Gaisano Capital routs Raphael

GAISANO Capital South added Cameroonian center Arnaud Noah and instantly became a title contender in the Enervon-Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Partners Cup 2013 last Sunday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Noah, a 6’5” athletic and well built forward, scored 14 points in his debut game to help the Gaisano Capital-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters score their second win in three games, 94-57, over Raphael’s Café-University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars.

Cobras drop fourth straight loss

SOUTHWESTERN University Cobras’ hopes of getting past the elimination round are getting slimmer as they dropped another game, this time, 84-73, to the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Stags in the FilOil Flying V Premier Cup in The Arena in San Juan City in Metron Manila.

Cebu hopes to regain dominance in women’s beach volley

AFTER sweeping the top three spots in the men’s division of the 16th Nestea Beach Volleyball National Championships, Cebu hopes to bring back the glory days of women’s beach volleyball.

ALA: It’s time to quit

DAVAO CITY—Fans may have seen the last of Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista as ALA founder Antonio L. Aldeguer urged him to hang up his gloves following a punishing defeat last Saturday night.

“We may have seen the last of ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista. Why should he be punished more? There’s no point. Even if he had won the fight I would still tell him to retire,” Antonio said after witnessing one of his prized boxers fall at the hands of Mexican Jose Ramirez at the well-attended Pinoy Pride XIX – “Mexican Invasion” at the University of Southeastern Philippines.

Struggling Cobras eye first win in FilOil Cup

THE Southwestern University-M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala will once again shoot for the elusive win as their campaign in the FilOil Flying V Premier Cup continues today in The Arena in San Juan City in Metro Manila.

The Cobras will play San Sebastian College-Recoletos Stags at 12:45, and will go for their first win in four outings.

TNT completes sweep, advances to semis

MANILA—Talk ‘N Text outlasted Petron Blaze to sweep the best-of-three quarterfinal series, 96-86, and became the second team to clinch a semifinal seat in the 38th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum yesterday.

Despite the early foul trouble of their import Jerome Jordan, the Tropang Texters turned to Ranidel de Ocampo, Ryan Reyes, Jason Castro and Jimmy Alapag, who combined for 16 points in the fourth quarter to secure their ninth straight semifinal appearance.

Tutor rules Break the Silence run

CHRISTY Tutor overcame Joeyry Lee in a photo finish to rule the 16K division of the Break the Silence Run yesterday.

Tutor, who ruled the local running scene during her college days, finished the race in 1:22:58.08, less than half a second ahead of Lee (1:22:58:.460). Daisy Batac took third place in 1:35:39.

Limpag: Billiards gets major push

ABOUT eight years ago, during a press conference for the Sun.Star Superbalita 9-Ball Challenge, top Pinoy pool players Warren Kiamco, Francisco Bustamante and Dodong Andam said the Philippines has lost its edge in the sport and they were hoping one government agency would help in regaining it.

What was the agency?

USPF discovers beach volleyball gem

WHEN Edmar Bonono enrolled at the University of Southern Philippines, all he wanted was to play indoor volleyball and finish school.

Now, it’s in the other variant of the sport that he is carving his name as he and Edward Ybañez won the third title in the 16th Nestea Beach Volleyball national finals in Boracay, beating Arellano University’s John Carlo Lozada and Jophius Christian Banang, 21-14, 21-13.

DepED to give P1.6M cash incentive

DUMAGUETE City—There are a lot of firsts in this year’s Palarong Pambansa and these include giving cash incentives to gold medalists. All P1.6 million of it.

“This is a first in the Palarong Pambansa. Magbibigay kami nang pabuya sa mga mananalo. Mayroon tayong nakuha galing sa ating mga sponsors at sisiguraduhin natin na lahat ay pupunta sa mga atleta na makakapag-uwi ng medalya,” said Department of Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro.

Milan Melindo gets big break

DAVAO CITY – The long wait is finally over.

Undefeated No. 1 contender Milan Melindo gets his long overdue world title shot as he challenges World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada on July 27 in Macau.

DLSU humbles SWU Cobras with 37-point rout

THE Southwestern Univeristy Cobras continued to struggle and dropped their third game in a row, 98-61, to the De La Salle University Green Archers in the FilOil Flying V Premier Cup held at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday.

Three days after losing to the University of the East Red Warriors, 81-62, the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-backed SWU showed no signs of its impressive game against Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles.

Group holds 9-a-side league, bats for new pitch

WEEKEND football warriors are now looking forward to a full year of competitive games as Aboitiz Football Field regulars have banded together to form Cebu’s Segunda Lliga. Sixteen teams will battle it out for the Inaugural Cup starting today, the first of three planned 9-a-side competitions for 2013.

TNT, Meralco gun for q’final round sweep today

MANILA—Sister teams Talk N Text and Meralco Bolts try to sweep the quarterfinal round in Game 2 of the best-of-three series of the 38th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum today.

The Tropang Texters gained a headway by crushing Petron Blaze, 100-93, while Meralco B-Boys escaped with an 88-85 win over San Mig Coffee in Game 1 last Friday.

Olympians to grace Palaro opening; billiards to make debut

BILLIARDS will be played for the first time in the Palarong Pambansa as a demonstration sport and Olympians will be lighting the cauldron. These are just two of the things to look forward to as the 2013 Palarong Pambansa opens today at the Don Mariano Perdices Memorial Stadium.

Close to 12,000 athletes and officials from all over the country will converge today for the opening, which will be highlighted by the lighting of the urn by celebrated Olympian trackster Maristella Torres and archer Mark Javier.

Pages: NBA’s first round! Who’ll get KO’d?

ASK anybody. Ask Dennis Que. Ask Kyle Kokseng. Ask anybody not named Kobe the same question and you’ll receive the same reply: Miami Heat will win it all.

LeBron & Co. are not the favorites. They are EXPECTED to win. After ending the regular season by winning 37 of their last 39 games, what else can we expect?

Mendoza: Kids ultimate victim of new UAAP ruling

WILL somebody hale the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) to court?

If yes, who could that be?

Quijano: Alvarez, Trout and Latigo

BOXING is making up for the dearth in activity during the first quarter with stellar match-ups in consecutive weekends.

Today, Saul Alvarez faces the biggest test of his young career in a unification bout with Austin Trout.