NONITO DONAIRE JR. had won easily and there was no surprise there.
Mark Magsayo also won but, although it was likewise by knockout, it didn’t come as easily.
I should know. I was right there at ringside when both fights were held—thanks to Tony and Mike Aldeguer, the father-and-son tandem behind ALA Promotions.
The world knows that ALA Promotions has been staging this famed “Pinoy Pride” featuring world-class bouts pitting Filipinos against mostly global hotshots in partnership with ABS-CBN and, yes, Bob Arum’s Top Rank.
For the love of boxing, Tony and Mike had been coughing out good money to sustain “Pinoy Pride,” which has already produced the Philippines’ longest-reigning world champion in flyweight Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, to name but just one of the many standouts churned out through the years by ALA Promotions (Boom Boom Bautista, AJ Banal, Millennium Melindo and, yes, the Pagara Bros. Albert and Jayson).
As early as the Seventies, Tony Aldeguer has been at it, courageously and religiously putting up fights for his boxers (not getting any single centavo from the purses of his boxers, mind you) for “the sheer love” of the sport.
On Saturday at Cebu City’s Cebu Sports Center (formerly Abellana Stadium), Mark Magsayo, although still “a project”—but what a project he is proving to be—shared star billing with Donaire.
People came in droves to lend support for both fighters and, by fight time, the open-air arena had a sold-out crowd of 40,000, the biggest ever in Cebu’s boxing history.
Among the celebrities present were Gov. Chavit Singson of Ilocandia, Chairman Richie Garcia of the Philippine Sports Commission, movie actor Gerald Anderson and rapper Endrew E. To spice up the show, Top Rank sent four Brazilian ladies as round girls.
Indeed, for boxing devotees, it was a night to remember.
And, as if by design, if not through the kindness of the boxing gods, all Filipinos in the supporting bouts won—and, yes mostly, in style.
Christian Bacolod of Cebu City, 21, won his fifth straight knockout for a blazing 5-0 start. “Landmine” Ladrada, 18, scored his second straight knockout win for a similar 2-0 blastoff. Santino Santisima of Aroroy, Masbate, 18, in only his 12th fight, scored his ninth knockout win by stopping his Thai foe in just 2:59 of the first round. Only Jayson Pagara and Rocky Fuentes settled victories on points.
But the fights that sent the crowd cheering wildly were those of Donaire and Magsayo.
Magsayo, 20, almost put away American world championship contender Chris “The Hitman” Avalos in the second round with jackhammer blows.
Amazingly, Avalos, already staggered and ready to fall, survived the onslaught from Magsayo, who has this uncanny ability to knockout foes within the first three rounds.
The experienced, 26-year-old Avalos, 26-4 with 19 KOs before the fight, even sprung back to life and floored Magsayo in the third with a shot to the chin.
But amazingly, too, Magsayo, living up to his nickname “Magnifico,” mocked the stars and, two rounds later, stopped Avalos in the sixth with fierce flurries that repeatedly made a pendulum out of his opponent’s head.
Good thing referee Dan Tapdasan had stepped in quick to waive Avalos out, otherwise, the beating Magsayo was administering to his helplessly hapless foe could have caused serious damage.
Without a doubt, Donaire had the easiest outing as Bedak proved to be a friendly customer.
After a getting-to-know-you first round, Donaire (36-3) went to work and decked Bedak (25-2, 8 KOs) twice in succession in the second round.
Continuing his ego-fed aggression, Bedak got floored a third time and was counted out at 2:44 in the third for Donaire’s 24th KO win.
In a touching victory speech, Donaire, using the announcer’s mike on the ring, thanked his father, whom he endearingly called, “Tatay.”
By that, the spat they’d had not too long ago had also been knocked out—thoroughly, I believe.
Donaire’s second wind blows on—with Tatay by his side.
THAT’S IT Salven Lagumbay and I renewed ties that bind in my trip to Cebu. Salven, who wrote for me when I was the Inquirer sports editor and who is now a much-respected and distinguished international boxing judge, worked the Magsayo-Avalos fight—with flying colors. Cheers to you, Salven. More power!..It was also nice seeing again in Cebu dear fellas like referee/Makati police officer Ver Abainza, boxing judge Randy Caluag, my kumpadre, Cebu SunStar sports editor Mike Limpag; and, another kumpadre, former Freeman managing editor/sports editor and now general manager of Alta Vista Golf Club, Nimrod Quinones. Cheers to you all, fellas!