NONITO'S CHANCE MEETING WITH A MASTER
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 23 Oct 2007
CEBU CITY -- "I need to pursue seriously my art," Nonito Donaire, Jr., the current IBF and IBO world flyweight champion, quipped after a chance meeting with the world's top realist artist, Romulo Galicano, at the Parklane Hotel lobby yesterday.
Donaire and his father-trainer Nonito Sr. had just arrived at the Parklane Hotel in Cebu from the U.S. for a month-long training at the famed ALA Gym in preparation for Donaire's first title defense at Foxwood Hotel & Casino in Connecticut on Dec. 1 and were at the lobby together with PhilBoxing.com's Salven Lagumbay and this writer when legendary artist Romulo Galicano, popularly known as 'Mulong', walked into the hotel counter to check out.
Mulong has long been considered as the country's top living artist and among his many accolades and recognitions, he won the grand prize of the highly prestigious Portrait Society of America painting competition in 2005 which had been participated by more than a thousand top artists from around the globe. Mulong's feat was the first major global award by a Filipino artist since Juan Luna won a gold medal for his 'Spolarium' at the Exposicion Nacional de Bellas Artes in Spain in 1884.
Mulong is the most recognized name of an array of highly successful realist-painters inspired and taught by the late Martino Abellana, who taught fine arts at the University of the Philippines in Cebu for many years. Abellana himself was under the tutelage of the great Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino.
Having had an acquaintance with Mulong when I was very active in the Cebu art scene many years back, I approached Mulong and later introduced him to Nonito, who later revealed that he himself had dabbled in drawing in his younger days. The two hit it off quite a bit and Nonito was seemingly amazed when Mulong showed some photos of his work via his cellphone.
A young man at 24, a boxing champion, highly articulate and having the looks of a matinee idol, Nonito surely has the world in front of him to conquer -- and if by some quirk you'll hear that our hero has metamorphosed into an painter, blame it on a chance meeting with the master.
Top photo: World flyweight champ Nonito Donaire, Jr. (R) poses with the master, Romulo Galicano at the lobby of the Parklane Hotel in Cebu.
Galicano poses with his award winning portrait of friend Eddie Chua during an exhibit in Cebu.
One of Galicano's landscape paintings exhibited at the Ayala Museum in Makati.
Galicano (R) shows Nonito photos of some of his works over the cellphone.
From left, the author, Galicano, Nonito and Nonito's father-trainer, Nonito Sr.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Life vs. Death: The Ultimate Ringside Showdown Immortalized in Pierce Egan’s Boxiana
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sat, 23 Nov 2024SPORTS SHORTS 284: TEAM MARK MAGSAYO CONFIRMS RETURN TO THE RING ON DECEMBER 14
By Maloney L. Samaco, Sat, 23 Nov 2024RJP Boxing promotes in Bucana on Dec. 17
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 23 Nov 2024Good Prospects at Minimumweight, Light Fly, Super Bantam and Super Feather in 2025
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Sat, 23 Nov 2024Filipino International Master Chito Danilo Garma is the new World Senior Blitz champion; Filipino FIDE Master Mario Mangubat takes the bronze medal
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 23 Nov 2024KAMBOSOS JR SIGNS CO-PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM
Sat, 23 Nov 2024INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME TO ANNOUNCE CLASS OF 2025 ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5th
Sat, 23 Nov 2024Ring Master promotes in Calinan on Dec. 21
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Nov 2024NP Bansalan boxing team in Matalam
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Nov 2024New York, Minnesota Biggest Trade Gainers; Los Angeles Has the Rookie Draft Steal
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 22 Nov 2024Filipino IM Bagamasbad prevails
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 22 Nov 2024DC girl’s futsal in Palawan now
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Nov 2024Filipino FIDE Master Ivan Travis Cu is ready to face challenge
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 22 Nov 2024Dante Kirkman Secures First Career Knockout with 3rd Round TKO Victory
Fri, 22 Nov 2024Filipino Middleweight Star Blazen Rocili Set to Return to the Ring This Saturday in San Antonio, TX
Thu, 21 Nov 2024