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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Oyson: A plea for boxers’ retirement
By Manuel N. Oyson Jr.
Counter punch
JOMA Gamboa did his best against Jorge “Travieso” Arce for the WBC junior flyweight crown last week in Mexico City. But his best was not enough. He was technically knocked out in the second round of a scheduled 12-rounder at the Centro de Exposiciones Banamex. It virtually ended Gamboa’s comeback attempt.
This leaves Manny Pacquiao as the only legitimate Filipino world boxing champion. Two world ex-champions, Luisito Espinosa and Gerry Peñalosa, are trying hard to make their own comebacks like Joma. But age is catching up with them. And there are no takers for putting them on the show. They are no longer saleable to the discriminating fight fan.
SALUD TO SALUD. What they have are only memories of past ring glories that made them the toasts of Philippine boxing in the late nineties. A former PBA commissioner, Rudy Salud tried to make a new champion out of Gerry after the latter departed from Wakee Salud. But after all the money and time spent in making Gerry another world contender – and champion – the Cebuano could not hack it anymore.
His contract was bought by Rudy Salud. Under the other Salud, Peñalosa eventually got the opportunity to challenge Masamori Tokuyama for the WBC super-flyweight crown on Sept. 24, 2001 in Tokyo. The Filipino lost by unanimous decision. Peñalosa eventually became the WBC super-flyweight international champion. But what is that?
RETIRE NOW. To be again a legitimate world champion was no longer within reach. Both he and Rudy Salud finally parted ways. The latest scuttlebutt is that Gerry is still trying hard to take another stab at the world title. Under a new manager this time. We can only wish him luck. But if Gerry were to take the unsolicited advice boxing patron Tony Aldeguer gave to Gamboa after his failed Mexican adventure, he too should retire now.
The case of Espinosa is more of pride than anything else. Or a little more on the economic side. To date he still has to collect the balance of $150,000 in his title fight five years ago against Carlos Rios of Argentina held at Koronadal, South Cotabato. That fight was held Dec. 6, 1997.
Lusitio’s mistake was that he trusted the promoters too much that he did not ask for payment in advance before he stepped onto the ring. Maybe it was because then President Fidel V. Ramos endorsed that fight. Because of a satellite glitch, the TV coverage was a nightmare.
The sponsors naturally reneged in paying. Poor Luisito was paid only $20,000. He appealed to Ramos to be paid. Then later to President GMA, but to no avail. He left for the United States with his family, a saddened but wizened man. His case is now before the Regional Trial Court of Manila. Among the defendants is an incumbent provincial governor.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “In short, without teamwork, we could end up the laughingstock instead of being winners insofar as staging such a giant undertaking like the Southeast Asian Games.” – Sen. Robert Jaworski, chairman, Senate committee on games, amusements and sports, on preparations for next year’s SEA Games
(mno@sunstar.com.ph)
(January 20, 2004 issue)
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