WHILE Manny Pacquiao lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May in what would turn out to be his only fight in 2015, three other Filipinos won their bouts rather convincingly.
Although his victory was only merely on points, the 12-round unanimous decision scored by Donnie “Ahas” Nietes some weeks back was still something to crow about.
Nietes did it again, almost easily as usual, against a Mexican surnamed Rodriguez to keep his record as the longest-reigning Filipino world champion—more than seven years already. The old mark, also for more than seven years, was held by the late and legendary Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, the former shoeshine boy from Bogo, Cebu.
Before Elorde had breathed his last in the Eighties, I had the happy occasion to visit him at his hospital bed.
He said to me as his parting shot: “It’s good that you don’t smoke, Al. Maintain that.”
“I never smoked, Bai,” I said to him. “I just drink.”
“That’s good,” he said. “I also like to drink.”
But he smoked more than he gulped, the reason he contracted lung cancer. Even while in training, he’d sneak out of the gym for a puff.
“No one could stop him,” said the late Taby Tabaniag, a legend in boxing promotions and later, TV boxing’s foremost analyst.
Nietes’s light-flyweight world championship victory was followed by spectacular wins from Nonito Donaire Jr. and Brian Viloria, two former world Filipino champions hot on the comeback trail.
Donaire knocked out Anthony Settoul of France in the second round last week in Macau and then Viloria came up with an ever shorter win by stopping Omar Soto of Mexico in the first round last Saturday in Hollywood, California.
After knocking down Settoul in the first round, Donaire quickly went to work and put away the French for good in the second round to line himself up for a possible title clash against featherweight champion Scott Quigg.
For Viloria, he sent Soto crashing to the canvas three times in the first round for the stoppage, his fourth straight victory adding to his three triumphs in 2014.
It was more than sweet victory for Viloria as he could only eke out a points victory over Soto five years ago at the Ynares Arena in Pasig.
Like Donaire seemingly ready again for a title shot, Viloria also appeared set to challenge World Boxing Council flyweight champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzales, the unbeaten Nicaraguan with a formidable record of 43-0, with 37 knockouts. Viloria is 36-4, with 22 KOs.
What could be a key to Viloria’s power-packed return to the ring was Freddie Roach, who was Brian’s cornerman during the fight.
If plans push through, Viloria will fight Gonzales in October—possibly a co-featured fight in the Gennady Golovkin-David Lemeux duel for the middleweight crown.
And things could augur well for Viloria because Roach, also Pacquiao’s trainer, has all the time to devote to the training regimen of the Sydney Olympian in the run-up to the Gonzales bout.
As everybody knows, Pacquiao cannot fight until his injured shoulder, operated on in May, is completely healed—possibly in April yet.
Continue resting, King, and let the others bask in their shine.
THAT’S IT. Is it true that June Mar Fajardo will beg off from playing in the Philippine Team that will soon gun for an Olympic basketball spot reserved for an Asian country? Marcio Lassiter and Larry Fonacier had also excused themselves from a Gilas stint to the 2014 Fiba Worlds in Spain. Even James Yap was absent in the 2013 Fiba Asia Cup that won that seat in Spain. So, if ever, what else is new?