COWARDS WHO BASH GALLANT BOOM BOOM
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 26 Nov 2008
For a nation where most of our men ? and women ? have shown indomitable courage there is - sad to say - a gathering of cowards who hide behind anonymity and bash just about everybody in sight as they have done with 22 year old Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista.
These individuals have absolutely no regard for the feelings of fighters who train hard, try their best to bring honor and glory to their country, sacrifice way beyond what others normally do yet there are vermin who have the gall to ridicule the fighters efforts as though they could do better.
It?s not just a shame, it?s a crying shame that these people in assailing Bautista and at times the ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer miserably fail to realize how much Aldeguer has done to take poor kids off the streets and give them a chance to earn a decent living and to improve the quality of life of their families.
Nor do they have the decency to assess Bautista?s showing against a grizzled Mexican veteran who had fought some of the best in his weight division and who obviously benefited and took advantage of the three cuts and the two huge lumps on the forehead of Boom Boom who, despite the blood streaming into his eye, fought as gallantly as any Filipino would.
We recall that before the fight there were those who branded the opponents of Bautista as bums and now when he is matched against a fighter like Ruiz and loses, these same people pounce on Boom Boom and try as best they could to destroy the young man?s confidence and spirit. Shame on them.
Manny Pacquiao suffered one similar gash in his first fight with Erik Morales and fought through the handicap just like Bautista did. Both young men were gallant and Bautista?s gallantry should not be considered any less than Manny?s merely because Manny is a champion and a once-in- a-lifetime fighter.
Of course there were mistakes made in training. Of course Bautista should have anchored his offense on a stinging left jab. Of course they should have prepared for possible cuts and bleeding from head-butts. Of course, of course, of course. But there is a time for these observations to be made and a place for them to be conveyed.
It's hard enough for Bautista whom the eminent WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud referred to as a baby-faced boy facing a seasoned man to accept the fact that he let his countrymen down despite his valiant effort, wiping away the blood and seeing through only one eye. It must be far worse to read through the ridicule and the meanness that a few of his own countrymen have resorted to. Heartless to say the least.
In fact it amazes us how these individuals many of whom haven?t a clue about the sport spit out their venom like rattlesnakes hiding behind rocks and blending with the landscape so they can?t be recognized. Its time the decent elements in boxing in this country get together and ferret out this mean band of lesser men and teach them a lesson, once and for all.
The claim that its all part of freedom of speech is horse manure because freedom brings with it inherent responsibilities and that includes having the guts to identify one?s self and stand by the statements so loosely hurled at fine young men striving to do their best.
Perhaps its about time that such a widely-read boxing site as philboxing.com tasks its administrators to accept only criticism that is fair and constructive, delivered in decent language and which doesn?t demean or ridicule our young fighters or the Mexicans who often appear to be a favorite target or even some American writers who may not agree with them all the time.
We are aware of petty jealousies and rivalries in the Philippines that mar boxing just like they do in almost every aspect of national life which is a pity. We we are aware that vested rival interests hiding behind the veil of anonymity post criticism sometimes couched in vile language and dripping with meanness.
We strongly believe that men in boxing should never comment or criticize fighters or strategies employed by others because we know of some who have a penchant to criticize others at the drop of a hat while at the same time praising whatever they themselves do. Plainly put, it shows a lack of class.
Perhaps it is also time for our good friend Dong Secuya to realize that if the aim of philboxing.com is to develop the sport of boxing and boost the confidence and morale of our young fighters in particular, there is a compelling need to pay serious attention to what is published in the forum.
Personally, we don?t give a damn what nasty or mean comments people make against us although we resent the racial slurs that some of them resort to. But our fighters and the men who do so much for these young fighters and their families mean a lot to us as we are sure they do to Dong Secuya.
Our position is that you simply cannot claim to be a diehard supporter of a sport and at the same time allow its beacons who carry the fight for every single Filipino, to be devastated by the vicious and mean comments of a few. It undermines what we all should stand for.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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