TOWN OF WARRIORS PRAY FOR THEIR 'LITTLE WARRIOR'
By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 19 Apr 2011
The farming town of Pigcawayan in North Cotabato, which is at the edge of troubled Maguindanao Province in Central Mindanao, has always been known to be a village of fighters who have figured in some of the bloodiest and fiercest battles fought against secessionist rebels, especially the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
In the last outbreak of fighting between soldiers and rogue rebels under MILF Commander Umbra Kato, military men were surprised to see unarmed civilians volunteering to carry heavy bullets and ammunition to the battlefronts. The unarmed civilians' intention was to be near the scene of the fighting to be able to grab the guns of fallen rebels.
It is no wonder then that the reputation of people from this frontier town is that of fearless warriors. This is a village where the young boy's rite of passage to manhood is to stand shoulder to shoulder with older men in repulsing heavily armed rebels who harass the villages from time to time.
This was the environment where Rommel Asenjo, now the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental Miniflyweight Champion, grew up in and it is no wonder that he seems unfazed by the risks and dangers inside the ring.
"I love to fight," he once told me when I allowed him to move from the amateur ranks to the professional league at age 17.
And I can honestly say that Asenjo is one of the very rare breed of fighters who seem to enjoy being inside the ring and trading punches with their opponents.
There is an unusual bravado in Rommel Asenjo to the point of recklessness. In his last fight. he almost got disqualified when he hit his opponent even after the bell ending the round had sounded.
In previous instances, he was also slapped point deductions for hitting his opponent while down on the canvas.
"I will try to control it next time, Sir," he assured me when I gave him a tongue-lashing following the near disastrous fight.
He will have to be careful in his next fight because this could spell the difference between poverty and a better life, between fame and ignominy,
"We will pray for his victory," said former provincial board member Rolando Dillera, a Pigcawayan leader who has followed and supported Asenjo's young boxing career.
On Sunday, a week before the 21-year-old power puncher who holds a record of 20 wins, 16 KOs and 2 losses by decision, the town of Pigcawayan will offer prayers during the Sunday mass for this young brave fighter who has become the image of the people of his town who have defied the odds and risks to protect the village.
Should Rommel Asenjo win over WBO Interim Miniflyweight Champion Raul "Rayito" Garcia in their fight in Mexico April 30, he will become the first fighter from North Cotabato to win a legitimate world boxing title.
Asenjo's fight in Mexico is for the vacant WBO Miniflyweight Title vacated by Filipino champion Donnie Nietes who has moved up to the junior flyweight division.
(In June last year, Asenjo's teammate flyweight Edrin Dapudong of M'lang, North Cotabato won the WBC Silver Flyweight Title but lost it in his first defense in September.)
Milagros Casis, an engineer from Pigcawayan who has also supported the fighters from the town, said Asenjo's victory in Mexico is expected to inspire other young boys from the town.
Pigcawayan, the town of warriors, will certainly celebrate when one of their boys would be able to prove to the world that they have the heart and the courage to win the big fights, against all odds.
Top photo: Asenjo plants a tree.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Manny Piñol.
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