Tuesday, July 17, 2007 Quijano: Too big a giant By Jingo Quijano Last Round
IN an era where the Nonito Donaires and the Florante Condeses are winning legitimate world crowns, Rev Santillan’s annexing of the OPBF crown (again), generates about as much excitement as watching paint dry.
Consider the following; Six of Rev’s last seven fights spanning the years 2004 up to the present have been for the OPBF welterweight crown.
Incredible you say? Nah, uninspiring is more appropriate.
Here’s more. Santillan first won the OPBF belt in January 2001 in only his 13th pro bout and defended it in his next match, netting him a draw. His next three fights were again for the same belt in which he was fighting for it in some capacity as either champion or challenger.
He took a four-fight respite from it in 2003 (thank god!), but once again, resumed his never-ending quest.
An obsession you gather? Madness, I proclaim.
The OPBF is one of 11 continental federations comprising the WBC, and a division champion has the chance to fight an elimination bout to determine the rightful challenger to a world title.
To illustrate, in 2004, being the OPBF super featherweight champ at that time, Randy Suico fought an eliminator bout with Mzonke Fana with the winner earning the right to face then-WBC champ Marco Antonio Barrera. Suico lost to Fana and so it was the latter who fought Barrera in 2005, losing via TKO in the second.
Obviously, Rev’s team is gunning for the same opportunity Randy had, but the glaring problem is that Rev cannot hold on to the belt long enough for an elimination bout to take place or at the very least for a negotiated championship bout to push through.
At age 30, the window of opportunity is fast closing for this soft-spoken kid from Iloilo, and his management team should start considering other options.
This Gentle Giant has grown too big for the OPBF puddle.
GOODBYE ARTURO. They call him “Thunder” for many reasons. For the brute force that his fists carry. For the deafening applause his mere presence generates when he walks into an arena. For the Hail Mary left hooks. For the come-from-behind victories. He is also called boxing’s ultimate warrior. The world’s most exciting fighter. A throwback to the good old days.
He has more lives than a cat, and managed to come back from savage defeats to reinvent himself throughout his storied career.
Along the way, he won his share of titles, but he never held a belt nor remained on the top long enough. He could beat the Micky Wards and the James Leijas of this world, but never could get past the Oscar de la Hoyas and the Mayweathers.
And that is why, to me, Arturo Gatti will always be the ultimate contender.
So it was but fitting that the guy who retired him last weekend was another nondescript blue collar-type fighter who got popularized in a show that could well have been named after him, “The Contender.”
SIZE ADVANTAGE. Alfonso Gomez’ size advantage was quite apparent from the start. He was taller and bulkier, having fought before at 160 and 154 pounds Gatti, it should be remembered, began his career as a featherweight (126 pounds).
Of course it didn’t help that Gatti has always been a sucker for overhand rights and since he kept his left hand low during the early rounds, Gomez was only too happy to accept the invitation.
Bludgeoned by right hand after right hand round after round, Gatti tried to fight back courageously. But at 35 years of age, the recuperative powers that once played an important part of his success have deserted him. This time, there was to be no dramatic comeback, but a retirement.
The boxing world salutes you Arturo. We hope in the very near future that we be graced with the presence of another fighter worthy of the moniker “Thunder.”
THE LAST ROUND. It’s on my dynamic buddy Atty. Kenneth Yap who celebrated his birthday last week. Happy Birthday and cheers! (jingo_quijano@yahoo.com)
