Wednesday, August 29, 2007 Sayson: A fighter without a foe By Homer Sayson Second Overtime
CHICAGO - He is not Japanese, and he never practiced the art of ninjutsu. But they call him a Ninja, anyway.
His name is Bert Batawang. He is 35, a father of six who hails from Sanciangko St, Cebu. And he likes Maki better than Sake.
Still, the Ninja nickname isn’t totally misplaced. After all, Bert, like a ninja, disposes his ring foes with deadly efficiency. He is strong and lightning-quick, so fast he could walk between raindrops.
For now, though, Bert should say sayonara to the Ninja monicker. I found him a better, more appropriate ring name.
Bert Batawang: A Fighter Without A Foe.
He was supposed to fight at the World Cup last Aug. 11. It was scrapped. Then word leaked about a title challenge against Ulises Solis supposedly on Sept. 15, but it never came to pass.
Amazingly, Bert has refused to let the streak of bad luck deter him.
He has stayed on with the training regimen he has adopted since coming to Los Angeles last June 24. He still wakes up at 6 a.m. and jogs the mean streets of LA every MWF. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, he runs on hilly Griffith Park.
Bert, under the watchful eyes of trainer Jeremiah Quijano, continues to spar at the Wild Card gym and he has maintained a diet. Bedtime remains at 9 p.m.
Batawang weighed 110 pounds yesterday. He is in terrific shape. He is eager to fight anywhere, anyone, except his wife, Maria Theresa.
The question is, will Bert get that chance before he burns out from over-training?
Bert insists he is okay. He wants to tell his wife that he’s just fine and he wishes to thank his fans for their continued support.
He isn’t complaining, either, confident that his manager, Sammy Gello-ani of SGG Promotions, is doing all he can to book a fight.
But Bert admits that the uncertainty is a bummer. While on a stroll around LA last Sunday with Philboxing.com’s Dr. Ed Dela Vega, Bert bought a pair of eyeglasses. He still couldn’t see what the future holds.
And the loneliness, the longing for six kids is beginning to gnaw at his heels.
“I’ll just wait what Sammy has in store for me,” Bert said in Cebuano.
Keep the faith, Bert. Sometimes, good things happen to those who wait.
FROM A ‘JOLLY’ GOOD FELLOW. My column on Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista last Monday (“A mentality Boom-Boom needs to change”) elicited this marvelous e-mail from Mr. Jolly Benitez, a teacher in the Sciences Department. of Cebu Normal University.
“This is unnecessary, but I should say I’m one of the rabid admirers of your sports writing prowess in both its substance and form. And let me congratulate you for ‘justly’ taking the cudgels on Rey.
“Somebody out there with credibility, and insight as well as courage and compassion, has to deliver to the whole Boom-Boom world what may be painful but true – That Boom-Boom’s mental skill level in terms of boxing has been found wanting when weighed against De Leon’s brutal boxing psyche in the morbid square jungle.
“Right after Boom-Boom’s devastating first-round TKO loss, I started my long wait for some boxing guru to crack the egg on Bautista’s mental preparedness, or should I say, attitude. The young man is stubborn and he needs some pretty picks.
“And it took one Homer Sayson to do it. It was so courageous (and compassionate). Sportswriting, I suppose, need not always reek of wrecking excitement. Sometimes, there has to be some sobering, fire-and-brimstone sermonette.
“After that, Rey should head to the confessional box and contritely accomplish his penitence.”
Very well-said, Jolly.
SIRLITZ. The wonderful people at Sirlitz Consumer Electronics store are faiftful readers of this column, I was told.
Greetings to my old pal Merlie Tejam and Marcial Adal, Jr. May you continue to read Second Overtime without fail.
