AN EMBARRASHING PERFORMANCE FROM AN ILL-PREPARED FIGHTER
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 14 Sep 2015
Buried in the deepest recesses of the much bally-hood ?retirement? party that was the Mayweather-Berto fight at the MGM Grand Casino Hotel last night was an embarrassing match up that was presented as a ?fight? amongst the undercard of the main event.
Gervonta ?Rambo? Davis of Baltimore, Maryland (12-0-0, 11KO) was pitted against a relatively unknown Filipino ?boxer? named Recky ?The Terror? Dulay (8-2-0, 5KO).
How Dulay ended up facing the undefeated warrior from Maryland is beyond me. Apparently, he was a very late substitute to the opponent previously picked to give Davis a run for his money.
In an article written by philboxing writer Lito de los Reyes , Dulay according to his manager Yolly Alfante of the Buhay Kamao Foundation, Inc., was recommended by Ronald Jeres to fight Davis.
I truly understand the positive aspect of the recommendation - a chance for Dulay to be on a world-class stage as the MGM Grand and an opportunity to cash in with an amount he perhaps never made before in his 10 bouts as a fighter. For all you know he may even pull a win ala Manny Pacquiao when he defeated Ledwaba for his first world title.
Jeres and Alfante may have considered all the factors involved in Dulay taking the fight with Davis. But at the same token they may have missed many things deliberately or not that led to the painful loss Dulay suffered.
Dulay left Manila of September 8th, barely four days before he was scheduled to fight Davis. The trip is Dulay?s first to the US. I am positive he was still jet-lagged when he climbed up the ring at the MGM.
I know he has fought in South Wales, Australia. But regardless of how big was the venue down under, it is a far cry from the MGM Grand, the hollowed grounds where the greatest of fighters have displayed their wares, Manny Pacquiao included. For a newbie, it?s hard not to be awed by the place.
As fellow philboxing photographer, Jhay Otamias stated, ?Sana hindi masindak sa laki nang MGM at masilaw sa mga maraming ilaw.? (Hopefully he does not get intimidated by the enormity of the MGM and the many bright lights?)
Well, it seems those concerns indeed happened!
The seemingly jet-lagged and fairly intimidated Dulay was a pathetic sight even at the weigh-in. He looked shabby as if he just got out of bed. His hair was all over the place, unkempt and uncombed.
Someone amongst the press corps turned to me when Dulay was announced as ?from Manila, the Philippines? and said ?If he lasts two rounds, I will buy you a drink after the fight.?
On Saturday afternoon, as Dulay walked into the ring, he obviously was intimidated and unfocused. He looked lost! And, his ?Trainer? was not much help either. Perhaps he was intimidated too.
Dulay was so lost he did not even know which corner to go and it took a Commissioner to lead him to his assigned red corner.
Dulay had only one person with him. That fellow must have been his ?trainer?. He had no cutman and no secondary corner man. Sadly, it turned out they were unnecessary.
As the fight started, we can immediately tell that he was not prepared. The few punches he threw were without zip. His opponent on the other hand, a former 2012 US National Golden Gloves champion appeared in top form.
A hard left body shot he threw landed on Dulay and the kid dropped to his knees. He barely beat the count. When the fight resumed a few more well-placed shots dropped Dulay again and from our vantage point on Section 113 at the MGM, we knew the fight is over.
When he got up Dulay turned around and hanged on the ropes seemingly giving up. Thus, Referee Russell Mora stopped the fight. Time: 1:34 of round 1
As previously mentioned, I am aware of the few positives of allowing a fighter to accept an opportunity to take a fight. On top of that coming from abroad is indeed a great one to consider.
But, money should not be everything!
From my perspective, his handlers fed Dulay to the lions. That statement may not sink in too well with Jeres and Alfante. But it is what it is. Hopefully they will understand that it is meant without malice but more of a concern for the health of Dulay
Did they even consider the very short notice? Four short days! By God how can they do that to this kid? Did they even have a fight plan to counter whatever Davis may bring, or were they just hoping to wing it and hopefully he gets lucky.
Oh, incidentally, why do our friends at the GAB allow these fighters to be handled this way? What happened to their regulatory function?
Hopefully something is done to stop these none sense. We don?t like to see nice kids get hurt all in the name of money.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
PIONEERING FILIPINO BOXERS TAKE SPOTLIGHT ON FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH (PART I)
By Dong Secuya, Thu, 16 Oct 2025BOXING HALL OF FAME RELEASES FALL 2025 LETTER OF APPEAL SEEKING FUNDRAISING SUPPORT
Thu, 16 Oct 2025Mendoza bags bronze
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 16 Oct 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 20: MUHAMMAD ALI VS. JOE FRAZIER III ON OCTOBER 1, 1975 AT THE ARANETA COLISEUM
By Maloney L. Samaco, Thu, 16 Oct 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: History of Boxing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 16 Oct 2025YORK HALL PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AS CONWAY AND LIDDARD GET SET FOR HUGE DOMESTIC CLASH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Unbeaten Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes Set for Return on October 18 Against Derlyn Hernandez-Geraldo in Long Beach
Wed, 15 Oct 2025JOEL “LETHAL” LEWIS RETURNS NOV 28TH THUNDERDOME 52 – METRO CITY PERTH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Shane Mosley Sr. Blasts Oscar De La Hoya of Blocking Son’s Title Shot, Calls for Trilogy Fight on Drew & Pris Uncensored podcast
Wed, 15 Oct 2025MASOUD vs McGRAIL HEADLINES BLOCKBUSTER MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI CARD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 – LIVE ON DAZN
Wed, 15 Oct 2025WFM Mendoza seizes lead in 2025 FIDE World Youth Chess Championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 15 Oct 2025YOENLI HERNANDEZ KNOCKS OUT RAMON DELACRUZ SENA IN FIRST ROUND OF MAIN EVENT OF FISTS OF FURY 8
Wed, 15 Oct 2025BEN WHITTAKER TITLE SHOT CONFIRMED WITH PRESS CONFERENCE THIS FRIDAY
Wed, 15 Oct 2025GOLDEN BOY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST AMATEUR TALENT IN CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
Wed, 15 Oct 2025SHANNON RYAN: I'M READY TO BRING 'KAOS' TO YORK HALL THIS WEEK
Wed, 15 Oct 2025