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Saturday, February 15, 2003
Oyson: Filipina fighter’s kin traced
By Manuel N. Oyson Jr.
Counter Punch
Remember the brief item I featured here 10 days back about Sarah Rama-Jones, the first Filipina professional prizefighter? Philippine Star columnist-cum sports analyst-TV commentator Joaquin “Quinito” Henson earlier called me long-distance to inquire about her roots, especially with the famous Rama clan of Cebu, as she is reportedly from Cebu.
I did not receive any feedback from the political Rama family for a while which I could have relayed to Henson. The reason is soon apparent. Sarah Rama Goodson traces her lineage to the Ramas of Pardo, Cebu City rather distantly. She is a third-degree cousin of Vice Mayor Michael Rama.
PAYDIRT. Her father, Meliton, is a 52-year-old jeepney driver and her mother, Dalmacia, 54, is a housewife. They live in Lomboy St., Banawa. But that is going ahead of the story. After my item came out, I met Sammy Rama, the younger brother of the Cebu City vice mayor, at the Cebu Waterfront-Lahug one night. He said they have never heard of Sarah Rama, who later became Mrs. James Jones, was divorced and eventually married Stacy Goodson.
Sammy ventured that she might be related to other Ramas who live outside the Pardo enclave. But from what Henson wrote in Philippine Star last Feb. 12 (“Pinay lady pug’s roots traced”) Cebu sportsman and boxing patron Antonio Aldeguer was at the same helping trace the mysterious Sarah Rama- Goodson. Her executive secretary, Karen Gonzalez, had called every “Rama” in the phonebook until she eventually hit pay dirt.
STRAWWEIGHT. Aldeguer e-mailed the information to Quinito. It came out last Tuesday. This is where I got my source for this column. I tried to get in touch with Henson on the phone from the Centennial Airport II in Manila the day before while waiting for my return flight to Cebu. He was out. Anyway, the mystery of Sarah Rama-Jones or Sarah Rama-Goodson is now solved.
From Henson’s account, Sarah, 29, is the first Filipina professional boxer. She now lives in Paris, Arkansas where she learned to box. She turned pro in 1999 and promptly lost her first nine bouts. In January 2002, she failed in her quest for the strawweight (99-102 pounds) International Female Boxers Association title in 10 rounds. Her ring record is 6-13.
CENTURIES OLD. The IFBA was organized in 1997 to promote women’s boxing throughout the world as a “genuine, professional, athletic competition.” According to Henson, the sport of female boxing is centuries old, dating back to 1722. It was only that the momentum built in 1995 and 1996, exploded for women’s boxing. The IFBA is also batting for the inclusion of female boxing in the Olympic Games.
Her husband, Stacy, is actually a journeyman professional. He lost to former WBC light-heavyweight champion Donnie Lalonde last December in Winnipeg, Canada. Henson says the Goodsons may be the first and only husband-and-wife team in professional boxing in the word. Meliton revealed that his daughter and son-in-law may visit Cebu City next year.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m 23 – what’s wrong with you?” – Spain’s Sergio Garcia, World’s No. 4 golfer, snapping back at a reporter if he was frustrated why he has not yet won any of golf’s major tournaments
(February 15, 2003 issue)
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