Boom Boom Knees Wobbles

I had to admit, I almost wept seeing Boom Boom falls in the first round. I was on my way to Antipolo for a photoshoot when the world cup of boxing between Mexican and Filipino fighters was unfolding.
While waiting for passengers in FX terminal in Edsa Central, I got a call from a friend about Gerry Peñalosa snatching the championship belt from his opponent Jhonny Gonsalez.
I was able to watch Gerry pummeled Jhonny in his ribcage because the bus I took from Laguna has a free tv on board. I was delighted that prior the main event, the Filipinos has won and taken the first 5 matches, leading the Mexicans team, 5 to nothing.
On the phone, I told Mark that I feel something is not right about Boom Boom's fight. He was facing Daniel Ponce De Leon, the same warrior boxer who trounced Gerry Peñaloza almost to retirement.
His call was just minutes before Rey Bautista, a promising and unbeaten boxer from Bohol, wobbles his knees into the ropes and on the verge of getting knocked down. He told me, its over.
I was dumbfounded. I never thought he would lost, not in the first round.
So I got out of the FX taxi and took a stroll were people had assembled like a mob just outside a goldilocks watching beneath the glass walls. They were peaking at a 14 inch tv with Boom Boom sullen face being shown.

Mayol Falls Down on 8

I have to write this, else, my mind will go ballistic trying to find the truth.

In the undercard fight of the War for 4: Erik Morales vs. David Diaz, Rodel Mayol received a devastating punch 1:13 left in the clock at 8th round from Ulises Solis for the IBF Mini Flyweight championship.

Ulises Solis is the brother of Jorge Solis whom Manny Pacquiao stopped also in the 8th round last April.

I didn't actually see this fight start and end.

I only saw the flashes of their fight in Channel 2, with the usual Spanish speaking host Diane telling the report.

Undoubtedly, the replayed scenes of Mayol kissing the canvass left him no chance of adding another title belt to the growing number of Filipino boxing champions. What caught my attention was when the host reportedly said, in reference to her after-fight interview, that Rodel admitted having less practice and preparations in challenging the current champion Solis.

Earlier Sunday, the sports page of my fave broadsheet had a news clipping telling a completely different story, that Mayol had prepared so much coming to this fight.

Suddenly, there is a knot in my head that let my hand scratch it quickly. Which news media is telling the story? I can't accussed anyone of them to craft a different scenario, because what purpose would it be if they change slightly the facts behind Mayol's plight.

The news reports was made on entirely different schedule. The broadsheet story came out before the fight, whilst the tv newsflash was shown hours after the bout concluded. There is greater chances that an interviewee would respond to questions with made-up answers before the battle, than reason out a humbling loss in an after-the-bout interview. Logically, losing in the 8th round would mean less practice and exercise in the gym.

Nonetheless, I feel sorry that Mayol had lost. It would have been a varied story, overall, had he snatched the title belt and strapped it in his torso.

Erik Morales Fails to Make History

It was reading my favorite Sunday newspaper that I got reminded that today is the day Erik Morales will try his fate to making a history.

The El Terrible has tasked himself to become the only Mexican to win 4 championships in different divisions. A feat that not even Julio Cesar Chavez has accomplished during his time.

Come 12 o'clock in the afternoon, I turned on the television and press the channel 9. It was already the Round 8. Replays of the early rounds has been flashed repeatedly as the fight went along.

This time, there were shorter commercial breaks in between rounds which made watching a lot better.

But watching Erik exhausted himself, he was denied the history he's about to make. The fight was decided unanimously in favor of his opponent, Dangerous David Diaz. It was his first title defense and his uppercut was his main weapon in trumping Erik. Probably the reason that let the judges decide on matters was his unconvincing stance that he can take care of Diaz. He just became powerless in the end.

Erik Morales, a Mexican, now 48 wins - 6 losses, has deserved to land a story in Pinoy Balls for the following reasons:

• He is the contra-bida of Manny Pacquiao during their trilogy fight last year and regarded by some as one of the best fights in history.
  
• He has brought the best of Manny and that alone is worthy of a reason
• El Terrible has a commercial with Manny and Freddie Roach that still runs as I write this. With that, Erik Morales has become a household name in our country.
• He patronized our beaches in Palawan when he came here.

After the fight, news reports tells the end of Erik's boxing career. But to me, he will remain an adopted son of Philippine boxing.

End of the Road

Pinoy Balls was created about a couple of months ago with hopes in providing information, insights, updates and opinions about the sports that the Filipinos partake. One of its core mission is to deliver news and highlights about the quest of the quintessential team that was built to catapult themselves in the elusive Olympic dream.

This blog has several times unable to deliver that goods. And I apologize to a lot of would be readers who are hungry for content regarding our National Team.

They've gone through several contests in preparation for the FIBA Asia tournament. For Asian ball players, this is the one chance where they can prove themselves to join and compete with the best of world basketball by placing at least runner up. It's only the elimination round and already, Team Pilipinas didn't make it.

Yes my dear friends. After a lot of practice, after so much hard work, and after a dozen of players' interviews viewed on tv and read on a lot of newspapers of their stories and personal testament to the countries quest for an Olympic glory, the national team will go home winless and empty handed.

They put their best performance but the end results tell a different story. They still have a chance and did not vow out of the Olympic qualifying tournament by yielding their first game to Iran.

They managed to keep alive the fragile string of hope by edging China in their second outing. But a team whose name is similar to the greatest basketball player ever to grace this side of the universe, has drain all hopes of the Filipinos to repeat what was made 35 years ago. The feat was the highest for an Asian country by placing third in the Olympics.

The reality now is that we are faced yet again with what are our limits. Basketball is a game where towering human beings usually rule. This loss could either signal an end of an elusive dream. Or it could also spark the fire again to dream and aim high.

I would like to be there when that time comes.

Not a Good Sign

For two consecutive games in the ongoing Jones Cup in Taiwan, Team Pilipinas looked very far from what they are perceived to be in terms of performance. I already mentioned this tournament is not the main goal of the heavily funded national quintet. Their main task is to earn a spot in the 2008 Olympics where they will, hopefully, have the chance to meet the best of basketball.

In order to that, RP-San Miguel National team must earn at least the runner up in the 2007 FIBA-ASIA which is by the way not an easy task. The team that Chot Reyes has been grooming to accomplish that dream will have to battle against China, Iran and Jordan in the elimination round. They must illustrate from themselves a dominant and winning team.

Apparently, our national team has lost two consecutive games right after a promising and good start. They defeated the defending American champions in their first outing but lost to Lebanon on Tuesday and bowed out again versus the Japanese national yesterday. The two losses both came from heart-breaking last second shots.

In their game against the Lebanese, the score was tied at 62 all with three seconds left in the game clock. A couple of passes between the opponents and into the hands of Rony Fahed who delivered a three pointer right before the time expires. The ball banked into the board and off inside the ring putting Lebanon on top, 65-62.

Japan made a similar dagger and pierced it into the hearts of hopeful Filipinos. The ball was intercepted from Dondon Hontiveros and resulted to a fastbreak pass to Yusuke Okada who made the final layup that sealed the game for the Japanese. One second remained in the clock but RP team failed to convert in the end. They led by as much as 12 points but they appeared powerless in the closing minutes and settled for an 86-84 score.

These two losses could determine how much determination and will does the team are composed of. Will they simply work their bodies out for the rest of the tournament for the simple fact that they are part of a national team made to prove the odds wrong? Or will they show us the core they are made of, bring the country the goods they are supposed to bring home after their work outs and practices in and out of the country?

Next week we'€™ll find out when they bag the Jones Cup trophy. And we will cheer them all the way. Nonetheless, the loss to Lebanon and Japan remains a bad sign for a case of a bad dream coming true.

RP-SMB: Jones Cup, the Final Leg

The RP-San Miguel National Team, before they plunged into Tokushima, Japan for the FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifying tournament, are headed into the final leg of their very rugged training schedule, The Jones Cup.
And the best way to start the 10-team competition is to beat the defending champion team USA. Playing under the banner of AIA or Athletes in Action, Team Pilipinas defeated the powerhouse US cagers led by the relentless shooting of Jimmy Alapag late in the fourth quarter. He shot a perfect 100% field goal percentage, 5 for 5, and led the nationals in a closing game outburst with contributions from Mark Caguioa, Mick Pennisi and Kerby Raymundo to finish the game, 72-67.

Manny Should Learn His Lesson

Manny Pacquiao is all set for a rematch against his old nemesis, Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera. It was finally decided that two should meet again inside the boxing ring after legal dispute between the Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank has reached its end.

The dispute, as every boxing fan can remember, started when the Filipino slugger tried to dance with the two at the same time. His contract with Top Rank was about to expire, and prior to his first rematch with Erik Morales last year sometime in September, he reportedly signed a deal and received a pre-bonus amount with the GBP. Later on, he surprised the boxing world by declaring that he was staying with Top Rank and inked a separate contract.

Eventually, GBP sued Top Rank and suddenly, Pacquiao's career was on a tailspin. After his last fight with El Terrible, there seemed to be no interesting fighter to match against him, with Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez and other interesting fighters under GBP's control.

On Friday, we received the news that the supposed fight between Humberto Soto and Pacquiao was canceled to give way for a much better and exciting match worth waiting. Barrera and Pacquiao will do the waltz on a boxing ring with gloves on their hands to be staged on October 6. This match and the future fights Manny is going to battle with an opponent handled by GBP, will be co-promoted by the two camps. For other matches when the opponent isn't a GBP, Top Rank will be promoting Pacquiao whilst the other remaining to have an interest in co-promoting it.

This is good news especially for Pacquiao himself as he will regain the wide options in terms of who will be on his next list. He's on the top of his game and he deserves worthy opponents. Let lessons be learned from this, before putting back that gloves on for practice.