Wednesday, July 25, 2007 Sayson: Czar Amonsot is going home By Homer Sayson Second Overtime
CHICAGO - After days of seemingly endless anxiety, worry and wild speculation, the Czar Amonsot saga has a happy ending.
The 21-year-old slugger from Tagbilaran, Bohol is OK. He is going home.
Confined since Saturday night following his 12-round battle for the WBO interim lightweight title at the Mandalay Events Center, Czar will be released from Valley Hospital on Wednesday morning (tonight in Cebu).
His latest MRI showed that the small blood clot he sustained “never went to the brain,” Michael Aldeguer, Czar’s manager, told me from Las Vegas last night, shortly before this column’s deadline.
Dr. Debra Nelson, a Valley Hospital neurologist, told Michael that Czar escaped serious injury. She said “God is good,” and that Amonsot needs to rest for six months, take another MRI in the Philippines, and then perhaps, resume his boxing career.
But according to various media outlets, Czar’s boxing license has been “suspended for medical reasons.” The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), however, has yet to formally inform Team ALA of the said suspension.
But that matter is farthest from the young Aldeguer’s mind these days. “We’ll deal with it at an appropriate time. Right now, we are just ecstatic that Czar is doing very well. It’s a tremendous relief,” he said.
I also spoke to Czar last night. Already out of the ICU unit, he is currently recuperating at a third floor room.
“I’m okay now. No more headaches, no more pains. I just want to go home,” he said.
And flying home, he will.
Via Philippine Airlines, Czar will take a Las Vegas-to-Manila-to-Cebu flight. He will be accompanied by SGG top gun Sammy G. Gello-ani. They will leave for Vegas at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night and will arrive in Cebu on Saturday morning.
After days of just a liquid diet, Czar was finally able to eat solid food yesterday after his last MRI. He was so famished he nearly ate the hospital tray. He also devoured, without mercy, the chicken sandwich Michael brought him. Czar is grateful that everything turned out just fine.
“Magpasalamat ko sa Gino-o nga iya kung gilayo sa katalagman.
Magpasalamat sab ko nila ni sir Mike ug sir Sammy kay ila jud kung gi-unongan. Ila kong gi-tratar nga dili lang usa ka boxer, pero usa ka tawo nga importante sa ilang kinabuhi. Palaron kayo ko nga naa sila sa akong kiliran.”
Czar said Mike and Sammy see him in the hospital everyday and will only leave him when the visiting hours lapse at around 11 p.m.
Czar’s voice quivered as he spoke. I just listened intently, bravely fighting the urge to cry.
LETTER FROM JULIENNE. I got a wonderful e-mail from Julienne Amonsot, the wife of JR Amonsot, Czar’s eldest brother who now lives in Phoenix, Arizona.
“We just read your heartwarming article on Czar. And we thank you for the kind word. We just hope and pray that everything will turn out okay for Czar. He is still very young and we know how much he loves boxing.
“So hopefully, this is not the end of the road for his boxing career.
“We went to see him in California and watched his US debut in Jan. ’06 at the Orleans Casino. And you’re right, he struck me as a very polite young man, every time he sees me and JR, he would ‘bless’ or ‘amin.’
“Czar is very quiet and assuming and is very family-oriented.”
Your hopes and prayers have been answered, Julienne. And yes, you’ve got quite a nice brother-in-law.
POSTSCRIPT. I got a pleasant call from Los Angeles last night. It was from Paul Abais, former stalwart of the powerhouse Mama’s Love basketball team.
Paul also distinguished himself as a PLDT cog.
He was a guest of my best friend Juvie Cabigon, who hosted a party. Food was abundant and drinks flowed like the Niagara Falls. They drank Heinekens and Red Stripe, a gorgeous Jamaican beer.
Also among Juvie’s guests was Dondon Yballe of Privatevia Balamban. “I’m a huge fan of your column,” he said.
