My Personal Picks: Best of Cebu Boxing 2009
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 30 Dec 2009
The island of Cebu, long considered the capital of Philippine professional boxing, did not get to host a world title fight in 2009. But it still had enough big fight cards involving regional belts to keep fans interested.
There were also small fight cards in smaller cities and towns as well as boxing promotions offered free to the public. Here is a look back at what the nerve center of Pinoy pugilism had to offer:
BEST KNOCKOUTS:
1. Jundy ?Pretty Boy? Maraon KO 3 Jason Egera
WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight title
Cebu Coliseum (2-21-09)
- A hair-raising bolt from the blue. The defending champ Egera was eager to trade power shots but was bleeding on the left eyebrow at the end of the first. The fight was still competitive but in the 3rd round Egera ran into a powerful left from the southpaw Maraon and was out before he hit the canvas.
- Egera was unconscious for several minutes and had to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher. He was sitting and responsive in the locker room minutes later.
2. ?Marvellous? Marvin Sonsona KO 2 Wandee Singwancha
WBO Oriental flyweight title
Cebu Coliseum (5-28-09)
- This was supposedly Sonsona?s first real test ? a two time WBC interim world titlist. But after a probing first round, a left uppercut knocked the Thai out cold and the medical personnel at ringside scampered into the ring to revive him. Wandee was unconscious for several minutes before recovering.
Sonsona was two months away from his 19th birthday and less than four months away from his WBO superflyweight title win against Jose ?Carita? Lopez of Puerto Rico.
3. AJ ?Bazooka? Banal KO 2 Mbwana Matumla
Cebu Coliseum (5-16-09)
- Banal returned to the scene of his tragic loss to Panama?s Rafael Concepcion and smashed the Tanzanian Golden Boy. Banal threw a good mix of head and body shots in the first and in the 2nd his howitzer left sent Matumla to the canvas flat on his back.
4. Rey ?Boom Boom?Bautista KO 7 Marangin ?Dinamita? Marbun
WBC interim International featherweight title
Waterfront Hotel (10-16-09)
- Cebu boxing?s biggest draw returned in booming fashion after being away for ten months recuperating from wrist surgery. The Indonesian was still in the fight despite being knocked down by a left in the 4th and landed enough punches to get Bautista?s attention. But in the 7th a powerful left followed by a right straight from Bautista sent Marbun flying into the ropes near the neutral corner.
CEBU?s BEST FIGHTS:
1. Milan Melindo W UD 10 Muhammad Rachman
Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City (3-14-09)
- Melindo was 17-0 with 5 KO?s at this point going up against a 73 fight veteran and former IBF world champion. Melindo showcased his speed and combination punching but the wily Indonesian had the edge in infighting sequences.
It wasn?t enough for Melindo to outfight Rachman, he had to outthink him. The 21 year old ALA boxer became a man overnight and showed the ability to make adjustments against a 37 year old ex-champ to earn the unanimous decision win. The scores ? 98-92, 96-94 and 97-93. Melindo has since catapulted up the world rankings and branded as a future world titlist.
2. Jesus Muzaka Singwancha W UD 12 Rey Labao
WBO Asia-Pacific jr.lightweight title
Naga Sports Gym, Naga City, Cebu (7-31-09)
- It doesn?t happen every day that a visiting boxer gets to both shock and entertain the hometown crowd. Muzaka, from Thailand via the Congo, took Labao?s best shots and pushed and mauled him on the ropes.
Labao tried to introduce some sanity into the chaos by boxing from a distance but Muzaka continued to go forward, arms swinging and fists flying to earn the win. The scores read 115-113 on all three judges.
3. Edrin ?The Sting? Dapudong TKO 7 Bert ?The Ninja? Batawang
WBO Oriental jr.flyweight title
Cebu Coliseum (4-25-09)
- it definitely was not a video game as the Ninja and the Sting engaged in a scintillating display of close quarter hand to hand combat.
The protagonists exchanged wicked head and body shots but the younger Dapudong wore down Batawang scoring knockdowns in the 5th and 7th rounds and the Ninja capitulated.
4. Eriberto ?Yukka? Gejon W SD 10 Ronald Castrodes
Gaisano Country Mall Carpark, Talamban, Cebu City (1- 18-09)
- This fight card was offered free to the public but the main event provided a week?s salary worth of excitement. On Sinulog Sunday, two-time world title challenger Gejon and former PBF jr. flyweight champ Castrodes battled toe to toe and took turns hurting each other for ten brutal rounds. Gejon was bleeding from a cut from the 2nd but rallied in the eighth pummelling a dazed Castrodes on the ropes.
The action did not slow down until the final bell and the crowd did not leave the premises until the verdict was announced.
Knowledgeable Cebu fight fans know when they see a close fight and definitely a good one. (97-93 and 96-94 Gejon, 96-94 Castrodes).
BIGGEST UPSET:
Jack De Asis TKO 3 Anthony ?Rocky? Marcial
Cebu Coliseum (5-28-09)
- Marcial was undefeated in 14 fights with 13 KO?s and a WBO Oriental titlist going into a non-title ?activity? fight against a journeyman coming off a loss in Thailand. De Asis stunned Marcial with a knockdown in the 1st. Marcial bled from a headbutt but punches shut his left eye in the 3rd prompting the ring physician to recommend a halt to the bout.
MOST BIZARRE ENDING:
Ramie Laput W DQ 11 Ratanachai Sor Vorapin
WBO Intercontinental junior featherweight title
Cebu Coliseum (5-28-09)
- Laput was dominating the fight against the aging Vorapin and staggered the Thai on several occasions. Laput looked like he was headed for a comfortable points win until the frustrated Vorapin retaliated with the ?best weapon? he had ? a right roundhouse kick ? that missed Laput by millimetres. Jaws collectively dropped at ringside and Vorapin was disqualified.
IT WAS ALSO A YEAR OF FIRSTS:
1. First fight card to have non-Filipinos in the main event ? Michael Katsidis of Australia beat Angel Hugo Ramirez of Spain by unanimous decision for the WBO Asia-Pacific Lightweight title at the Cebu Coliseum, January 31, 2009.
2. The first Philippine fight card broadcast via live internet streaming ? ?Thriller in April? at the Cebu Coliseum April 25, 2009.
3. The use of Cebu-made Boxing Gloves ?TIBAY? for the ?Thriller in April? Fight Card April 25, 2009.
EVENT OF THE YEAR:
Call him Doctor Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao (2-18-09)
Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao received a Doctorate of Humanities (Honoris Causa) from Southwestern University (SWU) of Cebu and the conferment rites ceremony was held at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.
Pacquiao was cited by the SWU faculty not just for his accomplishments as a boxer but also for his humanitarian acts. He has been regularly giving money to charities and financial aid to disaster and war victims.
There were some protests as to whether Pacquiao deserved his doctorate. But he proved the cynics wrong a few months later by being included in TIME Magazine?s 100 most influential people in the world. The majority of ?real? doctors do not have that kind of influence.
POSTSCRIPT:
Lists like this one have can have a remarkable effect on people. It can trigger debates but preferably we should just reminisce about another colourful year of covering the fight game.
Cebu boxing ?lost? one of its most skilled boxers when Z Gorres had to undergo emergency brain surgery after his fight with Luis Melendez of Colombia in Las Vegas. Gorres is continuing his dramatic recovery. He will never fight again but his family and the entire boxing community are thankful that he is recuperating. We look forward to seeing him again.
We should also look forward to the future. 2009 will be remembered as part of the continuing ?Golden Age? of Philippine boxing. Cebu boxing, as well as the rest of the country, will have more to offer in 2010.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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