WITH POMP, MANDAUE FETES ITS BOXING HEROES
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 18 Feb 2006
MANDAUE CITY--When it comes to putting up a grand welcome for its favorite sons, count on this bustling city to do the job with fanfare and schtick fit only for royalty.
Yesterday, this city held a grand motorcade not only for one, not for two, but for four of its top fighters who have just returned following their triumphant feats in Japan, Mexico and Las Vegas, USA.
The boxers were mobbed in Maguikay, Mandaue, where Suico hails
Mayor Thadeo Ouano led thousands of Mandauehanons who rolled down the red carpet for the foursome--Rodel "Batang Mandaue" Mayol, Randy "Komong Bato" Suico, Malcolm "Eagle Eye" Tu?acao and Z "The Dream" Gorres--with a motorcade that started in front of the city hall, then on to Maguikay, Cabancalan, Tipolo, Subangdaku, Alang-Alang, Ibabao, ABS-CBN, UV Mandaue and Mandaue City Central School.
The four boxers poses with their awards
The loudest cheers, however, came from star-struck elementary and high school students from Mandaue Comprehensive Natioanal School, UV Mandaue, Basak Elementary School, Maguikay Elementary School, Cabancalan National High School and the Colegio De la Inmaculada Concepcion, who waited by the roadside to catch a glimpse of the victorious fighters.
After the motorcade, an awarding ceremony was held in front of the City Hall, where the four boxers were joined by Mayor Ouano, promoter Sammy "Don King" Gello-ani, Vice-Mayor Amadeo Seno and the sports commission's Cheryl Ouano.
Thousands of employees and common folks gathered for the event, which saw the city officials handing out P25,000 each to the four boxers for giving honor to the city and the whole country.
Last January 28 in Cancun, Mexico, Mayol shocked fight fans with a fourth-round knockout over Lorenzo Trejo in their WBC eliminator. The win allowed Mayol a crack at WBC minimumweight champ Eagle Kyowa on May 8.
On February 3, Gorres duplicated the feat with a one-sided unanimous decision over Jose Alfredo Tirado at the glitzy Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Two days later, Suico and Tu?acao retained their OPBF super-featherweight and bantamweight titles with a fourth-round knockout and a draw, respectively, over their Japanese challengers. Tunacao's bout, however, became controversial as he dominated most, if not all, of the rounds en route to what should have been a one-sided victory.
Photos by Dong Secuya, PhilBoxing.com.
Click here for the full gallery of the motorcade, awarding and the presscon.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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