De La Vega: When Sportsmanship Rules Supreme
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 24 Sep 2016
Over the years that I have dealt with Filipino boxers fighting both in the US and the Philippines, I always made sure they use a custom made mouthguard I fabricate for them. As a sports dentist, that?s the least I can do for them.
So far, we have been lucky. Win or lose they came off the fights with their pearly whites still intact.
For the Philippines vs. Mexico fight card at the StubHub Center tomorrow (Sunday, Manila time) nothing is different ? for the ALA fighters. All three (Nietes, Magsayo and Villanueva will be sporting our mouthguards and I am fairly confident, they will come off their fights the same way they came in, plus a victory in hand.
In addition to the three, one Mexican fighter, Ramiro Robles, the opponent of Mark Magsayo will also be using a custom mouthguard we fabricated.
Last Wednesday at the ?Opponents PressCon? at the Barrio Fiesta restaurant in the City of Glendale, we got into a conversation with Team Robles. We found out that the guy is a very late substitute fighter brought in from Mexico to face Mark Magsayo. Magsayo?s original opponent suffered an injury.
Out of curiosity, we asked what type of mouthguard Robles will be using. Much to our surprise, he said he just bought one at a store in Mexico and he was hoping he could find a better one before Saturday.
So we offered to do one for him. Without hesitation, Robles agreed so we set to meet him at his hotel for me to take an impression.
With PhilBoxing?s Dong Secuya and Jhay Otamias, we went to their hotel in Torrance that night and I took impressions. I headed straight back to my office thereafter to start the whole fabrication process.
Today, at the weigh-in at the Eagle Rock Mall, we presented Robles his new custom mouthguard designed with the colors of the Mexican flag. Robles tried it in and after a few seconds, gave us a ?thumbs up? sign saying it fits perfect and feel comfortable.
So tomorrow at the StubHub Center, I will be seeing two fighters using mouthguards I fabricated.as they fight. It will be a first, and I am sure I will get goosebumps as I watch, but I am sure both fighters will still have their dentition intact when the final bell rings.
One pundit at the event made a comment insinuating I should not have made the opponent a mouthguard.
My reply to him? Boxing is not about wishing bad wishes on the opponent. I know it?s a fight, but there is still a thing called sportsmanship. The game should be played on even grounds and let the best man win.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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