WBC CHAMP RODEL MAYOL ON THE WAY HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 09 Dec 2009
Late this morning, (Tuesday, LA Time) Rodel Mayol and his lovely wife Lira called to inform us that they will be leaving for Manila tonight to visit their folks, show off the WBC belt and enjoy the Christmas holidays.
Matagal kong hinantay ito kaya gusto kong ialay sa mga magulang naming at mga kababayan natin ang aking belt. (I waited long for this so I wanted to share my belt with our folks and to our countrymen), Rodel stated.
Now that another Filipino world champion will be going home to share with the country the fruits of his labor, would he merit some attention?
I should hope so.
Mayol is not expecting a huge parade much like the ones done when Pacquiao comes home as a conquering hero. But Secretary Atienza and Security Adviser Chavit Singson may not even know the kid, thus a parade in Metro Manila is not in the making.
But I am sure at least in Cebu, Mayol is no stranger thus, he merits at least a VIP treatment when he lands at the Mactan Airport.
Calling Mayor Tom Osmena.
Incidentally, I am sure the MP Promotions of Manny Pacquiao, Mayol’s promoters know that Mayol is on the way home. With that I hope that Manny tells his people, particularly Michael Koncz to make sure that Mayol gets welcomed accordingly- a welcome that is fit for a world champion!
A nice warm welcome at the NAIA with the presence of TV cameras from GMA and ABS CBN and sports media people at the airport would be a good start.
I would hope that at the very least the MP Promotions will arrange a courtesy call at the Palace to visit and have a photo-op with GMA. After all, that is a tradition now, isn’t it?
But will Mayol be given that opportunity?
As a world champion, he must!
Mayol was offered to defend his crown by no less than Mr. Mauricio Sulaiman of the WBC to defend his crown on January 30th in Mexico City against Omar Nino.
However, Mayol is not too keen to fight so soon particularly now that he is going home for four weeks to have an R and R in his home town.
“I do not wish to fight so soon,” he said. “I do not have time to get ready and I will not fight unprepared. As a champion, I owe it to the fans to come to any fight fully prepared. I can not do that by January 30th,” he added.
Mayol would love to fight Omar Nino, or anybody else for that matter. But he would like to have time to prepare for it.
A fight with Nino as an undercard of the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight would be ideal. And, Mayol indicated that he prefers that date.
If that is not possible and if it can be arranged, Mayol hopes to do his first defense of his crown at Cebu or at Manila sometime in late February. So his local fans can see him fight again.
But I will fight anywhere too, he said.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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