Manny, Anson, Gerry vow to improve lot of Pinoy pugs
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 06 Dec 2013
The days of exploiting Filipino boxers will soon be over.
And the days, too, when the Philippines was on top of the boxing world with 10 of its fighters owning a world championship belt each will be revived anytime within the next two years.
That is if the nation?s ring icon Manny Pacquiao, two-division champion Gerry Penalosa and businessman-sportsman Anson Tiu Co will have their way.
The three, whose passion for the sport of sweet science is beyond reproach, have joined hands in forming the MAG Pacman International Boxing Promotions to elevate the standard of boxing in the county and see to it that Filipino fighters are given chance to fight in world championship bouts. MAG stands for MANNY-ANSON-GERRY.
But first, according to the trio, fighters should be treated like true full-blooded professionals whose calling should give them enough for them to live prosperously like their peers in other professions.
?Boxers are professionals and, therefore, should be treated as such with earnings, not only enough to tide them up and their families, but, likewise, make them proud of themselves,? Pacquiao told this writer in an interview about a month ago while training for his fight with Brandon Rios.
?Although many of us fighters come from the poorest of the poor in our society, we are putting, not only our physical wellness, but even our lives in the exercise of our profession,? Pacquiao reasoned out.
So dapat lamang na mamuhay kami ng hindi sapat-sapat lamang tulad ng nangyayari sa marami sa amin. Dapat, tulad ng nasa ibang propesyon, mamuhay din kami ng desente at marangal, may magandang kita na maipagmamalaki din namin at sampu ng aming pamilya,? he explained.
For his part, Tiu Co, owner of Cooyeesan Hotel?s Shape Up Boxing Gym, Pacquiao?s training camp in Baguio City, for his part, said during the press conference held last Wednesday. ?Since helping boxers is one of our priorities, me plano kaming bayaran sila ng 50 percent higher than the standard pay allowed by the law even if he is a four-rounder or a main eventer.?
?About time really to improve the level of the playing field here, primarily of the boxers, the atmosphere at fight sites as well,? Penalosa, one of few Filipino fighters who won more than one world titles said during the well-attended press conference held at the posh Solaire Resort and Casino launching the MAG Promotions and the 11-fight card that will make up the outfit?s inaugural presentation.
?Ang boksing ay isang desenteng poropesyon, dapat lang naman na desente rin ang lugar para mag-praktis ng propesyon,? Penalosa, one of five boxing sons of the late prizefighter himself, Carl Sr, said. ?I don?t mind our boxers fighting in cockpit (sabungan) kung maliliit na promosyon sa probinsya.?
?Ang nakaka-degrade ay pag ang laban ay ginagnap sa decrepit na lugar sa isang sulok ng kalye at ituring ang mga boksingero na parang manok o kaya ay daga na pinagpupustrahan ng hayagan,? Penalosa lamented. ?Iyan ang iiwasan nitong aming grupo. Ang promosyon naming gagawin namin sa mga hotel. Kung Malaki, dito marahil sa Solaire, kjung papayag pa ang management.?
?Yeah, we might really sound and look too ambitious, but that?s what we intend to do, professionalize boxing as it is a profession naman talaga,? Tiu Co said. ?Gagawin natin ang boksing dito sa bansa na parang sa Las Vegas o kaya, as of late, Macau na ang fight venue ay convenient for both the fighters and the audience.?
?Should we succeed in doing the fights here as conducive to everybody and with a touch of class, I don?t think we need to send our boxers overseas to vie for world championships,? he philosophized. ?Dito na mismo puede tayong mag-promote ng world title fights at makatutulong pa tayo i-market ang tourism industry dito.?
The proceeds of the inaugural card, Tiu Co assured, will be donated in its entirety to the victims of super-typhoon Yolanda in several towns of Leyte and Samar.
?We won?t mind losing in this promotion, tutal umpisa pa lamang ito at marami pang susunod. Doon na lamang kami babawi. The important is makatulong tayo sa mga kababayan nating nasalanta dala ng kalamidad,? Tiu Co said.
Tiu Co revealed that in the year 2014, MAG has already lined up no less than six promotions that is part of the group?s talent search and developments program fo discover future Filipino world champions.
Pacquiao failed to attend the presscon-cum launching ceremony saying he was sick tired after spending three days in the 15 typhoon hit towns in the Visayas but sent words that he is fully supporting the group?s target of putting out as many fights as possible with the end in view of producing Filipino world champions.
Both Penalosa and Tiu Cop denied insinuations that they invited Pacquiao to join the group to finance the many projects in the calendar, saying, ?We invited Manny because he shares our passion for boxing and our desire to uplift the lives of Filipino boxers.Ang impluwsensya at status ni Manny sa international boxing community ang magagamit namin para mabigyan ng magagandang laban an gating mga Pilipino boxers sa abroad.
Featured in the 11-fight, 72-round MAG?s inaugural offering titled ?first Blood?, set also atg Solaire, are three of boxing?s hottest properties today ? Michael Farenas and Dodie Boy Penalola Jr., who took the international boxing community by a storm in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez IV last year in Las Vegas, and Richard Pumicpic.
The card, according to Penalosa in a separate interview Thursday in the inaugural airing of the ?SCOOP Sa Kamayan On Air? program to be held every Thursday thereafter over DZAR 1026 KHZ on the AM band is the continuation of the long-running Philippines vs. Mexico series.
The ?SCOOP Sa Kamayan On Air? takes the place of the SCOOP Sa Kamayan weekly session held very Friday at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura which is temporarily suspended owing to the full-booking situation at the Ermita branch of the Triple-V-operated eatery brought about by the nearing Christmas season.
Farenas, who rose to fame for his gallant but losing stand against world-ranked Yuriorkis Gamboa in that undercard fights Jesus Rios in the 10-round super-featherweight main dish of the triple main event that will also see Dodie Boy Jr. battling Alem Robles in an eight-round super-bantamweight encounter.
Light-featherweight Pumicpic, nicknamed ?The Beast,? takes on Luis Lugo in 10 rounds of the triple treat.
Another pair of 10-roujnders starrin up-and-coming campaigners feature Jeffrey Cerna against Fernando Ocon and Ronnel Ferreras against Roque Lauro. Three six-rounders and an equal number of four-rounders complete the card.
NOTES; During our trip to Macau and back to over the Pacquiao-Brandon fight won by the Filipino, passengers who joined the Filipino boxing treasure in the chartered flight couldn?t but notice the many changes since food and beverage giant San Miguel Corp. took over management of the Philippine Airlines?. Ang laki ng improvement in terms service and foods ?. Ang gaganda ng mga stewardess at ang gagalang ng male cabin crew members of both Macau-bound and home-bound flights?. Kudos to PR-8456 flight crew members bound for Macau Capt. Angel Baking, Capt. Ditto Dinofel, FLO Vincent Lucero, FP Chary Rolando, FS Mikko Soller, FS Cris Relos, FA Nicole Soria and FA Ann Shelyn Cruz ?.Ditto to Capt./ Keenan Barry Gensolin, Capt. Rowel Valdez, FOL Inigo Generoso, Purser Daniel Victolero, FS Francisco Padre, FA Ma. Fleur Dior Reyes, FA Maria Celia Reyes and FS Rommel Luna of our GenSan-bound flight.
Photo (L-R): Anson Tiu-Co, Michael Farenas, Dodie Boy Penalosa Jr, Richard Pumicpic and Gerry Penalosa.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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