Thrilla In Manila: Fourth of a Series
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 11 Oct 2015
The first of the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier epic trilogy came on March 8, 971 at the Madison Square Garden in New York where "Smokin" Joe dropped "The Greatest" to the canvas in the 15th and final round to earn a unanimous decision and keep his heavyweight crown. These came as the only knockdown in their classic encounters.
The two great fighters met anew three years later in January 1974 with Ali avenging his 1971 loss punctuated by referee Tony Perez's boo-boo in stopping the bout in the second round when there still was 25 seconds left in the clock. The third man on the ring, likewise, failed to stop Ali's tactic of illegally holding and pulling own his rival's neck, allowing the Louisville lip to salvage a unanimous decision victory.
That controversial incident became a major issue in the selection of the referee in boxing's fiercest rivals' third and final chapter of their historic three-fight series and catapulted Filipino ring official Carlos "Sonny" Padilla to fame.
Remembering the 1974 fiasco, Frazier's camp, led by Hall of Fame trainer Eddie Futch and the fight promoter himself, Don King, to oppose the choice of Padilla, a movie personality and son of Olympian Carlos Padilla Sr. and nephew of Jose Padilla Jr., also an Olympian. The opposition claimed the Filipino official was too small in size he might not be able to control the fight.
Padilla's father and uncle saw action for the Philippines in the 10th Olympic Games held in 1932 in Los Angeles. Carlos Sr. fought as a welerweight while Jose Jr., also matinee idol, was a lightweight.
It need President Marcos, through then Games and Amusement Board chair Luis Tabuena to meet and convince those expressing apprehension to agree to his recommendation, including the choice of Filipino judges Lary Nadayag and Alfredo Quiazon.
The decision on the composition of an all-Filipino panel to decide the outcome of the showdown could not have been any wiser as misters Padilla, Nadayag and Quiazon -- all handled their assignments to the satisfaction of everybody, incuding promoter Don King, the protagonists' camps and even media men.
Padilla, in particular, proved sharper than what those opposing him thought as he, in the 36 minutes (14 rounds) that he officiated prevented what Futch and King feared, Ali using his rope-a-dope tactics to his advantage.
"Madunong naman ako ng boksing, dito ako lumaki. Ang tatay ko boksingero, ang tiyo ko boksingero (I know my boxing, it's the sport where I grew up. My father was a boxer and so was my uncle," Padilla told this writer in a post-fight interview.
"It wasn't really that hard for me to officiate that fight. Both Ali and Frazier are inelligent and clean fighters na wala namang intensyon na manggulang," Padilla, who, for most parts of the encounter was seen breaking Ali in his clinching ways, said.
"I love boxing so much. Even when I was making movies, I always found time to officiate in bouts held as far as north as Aparri and as far as south as Jolo," he related. "Oftentimes, my wife (Esperanza ) and I had quarrels about finances. As a referee, I had to be in the province most of the time."
"But I told her to be patient, someday, it will turn out well for all of us, our children," the father of mega star Zsa Zsa Padilla, who must already be in his early 80 today, remarked.
Padilla's dream came true hours before the fight when Tabuena informed him of his choice and at the same time introduced him to both camps of Ali and Frazier, fight promoters and media people.
"I was very happy and a the same time honored for having been selected to do the job, not only for myself and my famly, but for the countty as well and our peope," Padilla, who is now based in Las Vegas, said.
"Modesty aside, I believe I had a part in making the fight a real thrilla in Manlla. In the first few rounds, I saw Ali tiring and trying to resort to holding and wrestling," he recalled. "I warned him. Twice, I warned him and Ali must have taken note. "In the end, the fight turned out to be what everybody wanted, a real slugfest."
Padilla had all praises for both Ali and Frazier. "Ali can really fight. He's at his best when fighting. He's really a great fighter."
As for Frazier, the Filipino referee had his to say: "In my 11 years of officiating, I have never seen a fighter as clean and as brave as Frazier. For 14 solid rounds, he played it clean. He, too, is a great boxer. it's a pity he turned out the loser, but in boxing, only one man wins." (To be continued)
Photo: Filipino referee Sonny Padilla (C) was the third man in the ring of one of the greatest fights in boxing history.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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