Friday, August 03, 2007 Sayson: Fighting for the glory of Mandaue City By Homer Sayson Second Overtime
CHICAGO – It was 11:15 p.m. last night when a Chicago Hilton phone operator patched me through a room in the hotel’s 10th floor.
“Hello,” said a weary voice on the other end of the line.
It was Rodel Mayol, a bit exhausted after a whirlwind 24 hours which took him from his camp in Las Vegas to a press conference in Los Angeles, before arriving here in the Windy City.
But it’s only Wednesday night when we spoke. He has three nights and three days to re-energize before he goes to battle on Saturday evening.
Rodel had a long day yesterday, which began with an 8 a.m. jog at Chicago’s Grant Park, where the Bulls used to hold their championship rallies. Grant Park is right across the Chicago Hilton, and on its edge is Lake Michigan.
Mayol, alongside bantamweight Mercito Gesta, ran for 35 minutes. They had breakfast at the Hilton at 10 a.m., in the Pavilion where Mayol feasted on oatmeal, sausage and fruits.
Mayol and Gesta skipped lunch, but they attended the final press conference of the Erik-Morales-David Diaz WBC lightweight championship in one of the Hilton’s function rooms. It is in this pay-per-view event that the pair of Mandauheanons are featured.
They lingered in their room shortly thereafter, took 40 winks, and by 5:30 p.m., they were ready for a work out.
Accompanied by their coach –Steve — Mayol and Gesta went to a private gym on Clark St., not far from Wrigley Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs.
The session lasted just over an hour, but it was intense. “Four rounds of mitts, three rounds of skipping rope and two rounds of bags,” Mayol said.
Traffic was monstrous on the way back. They didn’t get to the Hilton until after 9 p.m., which explains why they failed to show up in our agreed meeting (read Diary somewhere in this page).
Famished, they attacked the Pavilion for dinner. But careful with their intake, both settled with just a plateful of chicken salad. They then retired in their $300 a night room at the 10th floor.
And that’s where I caught Mayol for a brief interview.
“I’m ready, “said the 25-year old slugger who totes an impressive 23-1 slate with 18 KOs.
Ulises Solis, the reigning IBF light flyweight champ and Mayol’s foe, is also 25 years young. The Mexican from Guadalajara is an inch shorter at 5-foot-3, but he looks very imposing. Dense like a fire hydrant, and he has the scowl of a hungry lion.
I asked Mayol if Solis (24-1-2, with 18 KOs) intimidates him.
“No,” replied the Mandauehanon. “He’s good and aggressive, but I’ve prepared hard for this bout. I don’t want to make any guarantees. All I can say is I’ll try my best,” he said in Cebuano.
Mayol dedicates his title fight to his lovely wife Lira, their four-year old child Eizer Bryce, and the people of Mandaue City. “Without their love and support, I wouldn’t be here,”he says.
While penning this column last night, my cell phone shrieked like a woman scorned. It was a long distance call from the Philippines. And the wintry voice on the other end of the line belonged to lawyer Briccio Boholst, the newly-minted City Adminsitrator of Mandaue.
“In behalf of Mayor Jonas Cortes and all the beautiful Mandauehanons, please relay our best wishes to Rodel Mayol and Mercito Gesta. Our prayers are behind them in their boxing quest for honor and glory to Mandaue City and Philippines.”
Boholst vowed not only to support boxing and other sports, but their administration will support those activities “year- round.”
Just before I e-mailed this column last night to the Sun.Star Cebu sports desk, Mayol and Gesta had just finished stretching and jogging.
The pursuit for greatness continues. One determined step after another.
