“I WILL TAKE IT AS FATE” – BERT BATAWANG
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 24 Aug 2007
Bert Batawang lately, hasn’t been lucky in so far as fight schedules is concerned. First, he was supposed to fight at the World Cup in Sacramento last August 11th as a member of Team Philippines. But his opponent suffered an ill-fated detached retina. Thus, the fight was cancelled.
Although, he was extremely frustrated by the incident, the pain of postponement was slightly eased by the fact that he got partially paid. But he did not get a $5000 wrist watch that was awarded to the members of the winning team.
However, Sampson Lewkowicz and Sam Gello-ani worked their magic to get him a title fight with Ulises Solis for the IBF light-flyweight title on September 16th.
“Okay na rin doc, dahil mas malaki yung premyo sa title fight” he said (Its okay because the purse is bigger for the title fight). “At hindi na sayang yun training ko” ( And my training did not go to waste), he added.
Yesterday, reports indicate that Batawang’s title fight with Solis has been postponed because Solis reportedly injured his shoulder.
That is utterly unfortunate! Unlucky, to say the least.
But be that as it may, perhaps it is a blessing in disguise.
Yesterday, while Batawang was sparring with Rodel Mayol, Nonoy Neri who was on Mayol’s corner suddenly called out to stop the sparring at the middle of the third round. Neri noticed a cut on the right eye-brow of Batawang.
Batawang's cut.
Clearly, the cut could have had a bearing on Batawang fight with Solis if the fight got off as scheduled on September 16th.
Closer inspection revealed that a cut measuring about a fourth of an inch indeed occurred. Neri claims it was from a legitimate punch by Mayol. Batawang however indicated that the cut was from the inner seam of his head protector which is worn out and old.
Proper steps were taken to manage the cut including the application of Neosporin antibiotic ointment and a couple of plaster strips to hold the cut shut. Plus, this writer who witnessed the incident took it upon himself to take Batawang and his trainer Jeremiah Quijano to his friendly neighborhood Pro shop and buy Batawang a brand new head protector and boxing gloves to boot!
Batawang clearly is broken hearted again. But, he is taking the incident in stride. “I will take it as fate,” he said.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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