By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Philippine boxing was given a tremendous boost when three young men carried the national colors with remarkable distinction in a glorious performance that demonstrated the skill, courage and grim determination of Filipino boxers on a Sunday to remember.
At a time when our country is mired in issues of truth and justice and debilitating partisan bickering, our collective spirits were lifted beyond words by the spectacular showing of Manny Pacquiao, an authentic national treasure; Brian Viloria who endeared himself to millions by his strong-willed assertion of his Filipino heritage and 19 year old Rey “Boom Boom” Butista who started proceedings with a sensational third round knockout over Colombian Felix Flores Murillo.
The developing Philippine-Mexican rivalry in the ring, first brought into international focus by ring idol Pacquiao in which the odds appeared to favor the Mexicans, suddenly took an amazing turn with the Filipinos proving they had the measure of their opponents.
The one thing that we should remember is that these three young men achieved what they did through their own hardwork and dedication, the support of their families and handlers who have shown a genuine concern for them. Nobody else. We hope that our sports leaders and politicians who have a penchant to jump on the success of others to steal a share of the limelight do not insult our peoples intelligence with any such
posturing.
To be honest, the only politicians who could justifiably claim some credit for their consistent concern, care and support for Pacquiao are President Arroyo and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza. They have stood by his side from way back when and never abandoned him through his ups and downs and have often genuinely shared in the joy of his achievements.
Viloria’s family headed by his ever-present father Ben Viloria, has effectively helped Brian charter his own career with a rare show of intelligent decision-making and a well-crafted plan to reach the top. Bautista’s success is a tribute to respected Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer whose incredible passion for boxing and his disciplined and studied approach in handling his protégés is a breath of fresh air in contrast to some of the unscrupulous characters who exploit their fighters without caring a damn for their welfare.
We ourselves felt a tinge of deep down satisfaction that we featured all three fighters at length on our top rated boxing shown “Main Event” over RPN 9 last Sunday in which we paid special attention to Viloria and Bautista to help lift their spirits and strengthen their confidence. When their opponents crashed to the canvas in dramatic fashion we cheered because these three young men showed our nation that Filipinos have the capacity to overcome adversity if we work as a team. We trust the message is not lost on those who need it the most.
