TANZANIAN FLASHBACK
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 03 Nov 2008
I never thought I would be talking in Swahili again one month after coming back from a two year stint as a medical volunteer in Tanzania. Milan Melindo, the reigning WBO Asia-Pacific 105 lb. titlist, fought a Tanzanian challenger named Juma Fundi last Thursday in Cagayan de Oro. I had a chance to chat with Fundi and his trainer, Emmanuel Mlundwa inside the van going to the Limketkai Mall where the fight was held.
They were so astonished that a Filipino actually spoke their language that they could not reply right away when I greeted them with ?Habari sa usiko?? This literally means ?What is the news of the evening?? but it is also their traditional way of greeting ?Good evening.?
?Karibu Philippines, Karibu Cagayan de Oro.? I welcomed them to our country and the host city. Instead me of me interviewing them, Mr. Mlundwa wound up asking me most of the questions as to why I spoke Swahili. I told him about my stint as a doctor treating AIDS patients in a town called Mtwara in the southern part of their country.
Juma Fundi hails from Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of their country. He gave very short answers during our conversation. He was either very nervous or psyching himself for the fight. He did tell me that he felt good. I can?t blame him for being nervous. He was up against an undefeated rising star of the ALA gym.
Milan Melindo was simply too good for Fundi. He knocked the Tanzanian out in three rounds. I approached the Tanzanians after the fight. Mlundwa was removing the tape from Fundi?s hands. A few local fans were crowding around them. Kids tried to touch Fundi and squeezed his biceps. I guess they were curious what an African?s arm felt like.
I remember being on the other side of the fence. Tanzanian children would look at me like I was an alien creature when I walked around town. I remember those kids laughing when they realized that I actually talk.
I asked Fundi how he felt and if he was dizzy. He smiled and said he was okay. I told him ?Pole sana? meaning I was sorry for the beating that he took. I exchanged e-mail addresses with his trainer. I hope he will be back someday with another Tanzanian boxer. I was also glad they did not laugh my grammatical mistakes when I spoke their language. After two years, my Swahili vocabulary was still horrible.
Melindo on the other hand has a bright future ahead of him. Boxing fans will be seeing more of him against foreign opponents as he is being lined up for bouts outside the Philippines.
Speaking of bright futures, the Filipino Flash Nonito Donaire (20W- 1L) made a successful second defence of his IBF world flyweight title against South African Moruti Mthalane in Las Vegas. Donaire showed no signs of ring rust after an eleven month lay off as he showed superior technique in the first three rounds. His active left hand targeted Mthalane?s face with jabs and hooks. The IBF mandatory challenger continued to press the action and started to land in the fourth and fifth canto.
In the sixth round, Donaire switched from orthodox to southpaw ala-Marvin Hagler and caused a cut inside the South African?s left eyelid. The ring physician recommended a halt to the bout and Donaire won by TKO.
Mthalane (22W-1L) was emotional and cried in his corner. Donaire showed class by approaching the South African and provided words of comfort and encouragement.
A familiar name on Mthalane?s resume prior to this bout is Apol Suico who was stopped by the African in one round last year in a bout held in Johannesburg for the vacant WBC international 112 lb. title.
What Donaire needs now is a formidable and popular rival. The same way the Pacquiao-Morales trilogy captured the imagination of boxing fans worldwide. Jorge Arce perhaps? The Mexican successfully defended his interim WBC superflyweight title in the same fight card by 4th round TKO over Isidro Garcia. But Arce was calling out superbantamweight champ Israel Vasquez.
Vic Darchinyan scored an upset ninth round KO win over Cristian Mijares in their superflywieght title unification bout. I?m sure he would relish the opportunity to face Donaire again after the humiliating one punch 5th round KO he suffered at the hands of the Filipino last year. Ring magazine ranks Donaire number one among the world?s flyweights.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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