WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 05 Dec 2008
Las Vegas, NV:- While hanging out late last night at the Mandalay Bay Casino with the rest of the PhilBoxing crew, we saw Franklin Gacal, Pacquiao's lawyer, walked by with two gentlemen. When we were introduced to them, we found out that one was Richie Mepranum, the young WBO Oriental flyweight champion from the stable of Mayor Jojo Lopez of Maasim, Saranggani.
Mepranum and his trainer just flew in from Manila about an hour before we met them.
They were picked up by Gacal at the Las Vegas Airport.
Mepranum will be fighting on the undercard of the Pacquiao ?de la Hoya tiff against a Mexican boxer named Cesar ?Gallito? Lopez.
The very late arrival of Mepranum should really be a cause for concern.
Why do people in the know about boxing in the Philippines who book fights for our young boxers, more often than not, bring them to the US on the very last minute and put them on a disadvantage?
Have they not heard about the ill-effects of jet-lag?
These boxers are not Superman and no matter how well-trained and healthy they are, if they travel over several time zones, they will have jet-lag.
How in the world can they expect a boxer to give a 100% output if he is jet-lagged?
I wonder are they really concerned at all about the fighters and their well-being?
Arriving just three days before a fight really places the boxer in a pressure situation, particularly if they are fighting in the US for the first time.
There are issues like ?medical clearance? that are required by the State Boxing Commission.
As it is, Mepranum as a late comer must spent the whole day today getting a medical check-up so a ?clearance? can be issued for him to fight. What if he fails the exams and does not get an okay to fight?
Isn?t that just a waste of money and, time let alone a huge let down for the boxer?
Mepranum today, missed the pre-fight conference at the MGM for the boxers on the undercard. That in itself may not be a big deal but for whatever it was worth, it could have been a good time for the Team to visually assess his opponent.
If nothing else, it could have been a huge exposure to the international media who were at the conference.
But that did not happen.
So on Saturday, if Mepranum gets an okay from the medical doctors, when he climbs the ring, it would be the first time he will set sight on his opponent.
That should not have been the case if only his handlers did their job better.
Just thinking, when will they ever learn?
Top photo shows the undercards for the 'Dream Match' posing for photos minus the Philippines' Richie Mepranum during today's presscon for the undercards. Photo by Dr. Ed de la Vega.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
‘THE RING 6’ TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 30 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE PRESS CONFERENCE: WHAT WAS SAID AS JOSH KELLY AND BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV ARE KEPT APART AFTER HEATED FACE-OFF
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Weights From ProBoxTV’s ‘Flores vs. Castillo’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Fri, 30 Jan 2026WAPA Deportes Confirmed as Puerto Rican Broadcast Home for Saturday’s Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou Title Unification Showdown
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Legendary Panamanian Juan Carlos Tapia will be inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 30 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Promotions Announces Additional Matchups for Saturday, February 28 Event at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York
Fri, 30 Jan 2026SWERVE TV STRIKES MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS TO EXPAND PREMIUM BOXING CONTENT
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Leuenbergers to join IRONMAN® 70.3 Davao
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 30 Jan 2026Open Workout: Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou Prepare For Saturday's Unification Showdown in Puerto Rico
Thu, 29 Jan 2026Cabrera-Zapata Kicks Off All Star Boxing's 2026 Season
Thu, 29 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Chess Philippines: Cash prizes, FIDE rating at stakes this Sunday
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 29 Jan 2026IBP Fun Run & Family Day on February 15
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 29 Jan 2026TEOFIMO LOPEZ AND SHAKUR STEVENSON FACE-OFF AT KNICKS GAME AS COUNTDOWN TO ‘THE RING 6’ ON SATURDAY BEGINS
Wed, 28 Jan 2026Davao to sponsor P500K in IRONMAN 70.3
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 28 Jan 2026JOSH KELLY SOUNDS WARNING TO WORLD TITLE RIVAL BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV AS HE TARGETS HISTORIC NORTH EAST HOMECOMING
Wed, 28 Jan 2026