"Boxing pagkatapos ng baha!" (Boxing after the floods!)
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 13 Aug 2012
Joven Jimenez is not your ordinary boxing promoter. He is not your suit and tie kind of guy that works behind the scenes of staging a full boxing event. Well, he does that too but the young 40 year old native of Bukidnon also prefers to be in the mix of the action in the ring, literally.
Jimenez is also a trainer of the boxers that he handles and promotes. He does mitt sessions with them in the ring and gives them pointers on improving their craft. Because Jimenez like his boxers is a ring warrior himself.
He is a former member of the national team and a former team mate of the country's last Olympic medal winner, Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco. Jimenez who held a record of 74 wins and 16 losses as an amateur participated in various competitions in the Philippines as part of his stint in the national and a part of the Philippine Navy team.
It was this experience as a boxer that fuels his desire to be a part of the sport that he loves, long after his playing days. "Gusto naming makatuklas ng mga prospects na pwedeng maging world champions (We want to discover prospects who can become world champions)," said Jimenez.
"Marami kaming mga prospects na mga bago sa promotion naming at pipilitin namin na maging world champions sila (We have plenty of prospects in our promotional company and we will try to make them world champions)," he added.
The brand new promoter is busy these past couple of weeks attending to his company's introduction to the sport in the country via a boxing show dubbed as "The Top Contenders." The event is slated to be held this Thursday, August 16th at the Mandaluyong Gym of the Mandaluyong Sports Complex.
The six bout boxing card features bright prospects of Philippine boxing feted against each other in an event that will be covered by GMA TV Network for its sports show, ALL SPORTS. This will be Jimenez's third staged fight card, but this Thursday's event will serve as the formal launching of his company, Joven Sports Promotions.
"Pinaghandaan namin talaga ito, almost four months. Dapat last July sana ito pero na-postpone siya (We prepared for this, almost four months. It should have been staged last July but it was postponed)," Jimenez expressed. He also said that his fighter, Vincent "Popeye" Palicte (14-3-1,7 KOs)of Bago City, Negros Occidental is ready as well and has been training almost every day in the gym. Palicte faces Frederix Rodriguez (8-2-1, 6 KOs) of Bukidnon Province in the main event. The duo battles for the WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight belt that was vacated by AJ "Bazooka" Banal who fights for the world bantamweight title this October.
"This will be a good fight. This is a good match-up between these two young and hungry boxers," Jimenez assessed. The card also features two undefeated former national team members, Adones "The Undertaker" Cabalquinto (12-0) and Anson "Mighty" Palicte (9-0), who is Vincent Palicte's younger brother.
The former boxer and trainer and now promoter is happy of the current state of boxing in the country. "Maganda ang improvement ng boxing ngayon sa Pilipinas. Dahil maraming mga bagong promoter, so maraming mga boxers na nagkakaroon ng opportunity. Maraming bagong manager, maraming mga boxer ang nabibigyan ng pagkakataon (Boxing has improved in the Philippines. There are now a lot of new promoters and managers that give our boxers plenty of opportunity)," Jimenez said. He said that this was a big difference from just five years ago where there were very few boxing events and promotions in the country.
This event is free to the public and Jimenez invites all boxing aficionados to watch an afternoon of exciting fights. This he said is a good escape for his countrymen who have been ravaged by heavy rains and flooding in recent days.
"Ito yung pagkakataon naman na maging masaya sila. Galing sa problema at sa baha, ngayon ay siguradong magiging masaya sila (This will be a chance for them to have fun. After the problems and floods that have troubled them, this (event) will surely make them happy)," Jimenez expressed.
Sports like boxing have always provided most Filipinos an escape from the hardships of life. It has been a part of their compensation against their day to day struggles. And with the recent devastation caused by typhoons and massive flooding, the Filipinos are due for a break from it all. Boxing may just provide them that this Thursday.
Doors opened at 3 in the afternoon and the first fight is scheduled to begin at 4 PM.
Note: The Philippines especially Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces is still reeling from last week's heavy rains which caused massive flooding in the area. It has affected more than 3 million people in 36 cities and 167 municipalities according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). Donations to help the victims of this disaster can be made through the Philippine Red Cross, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the NDRRMC and the various civic and social groups in the country.
You can email the author at rrmaze24@aol.com for any reactions to this piece.
Photo: New promoter Joven Jimenez (C) poses with his boxers.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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