Thursday, May 12, 2016

WHY PEOPLE VOTED FOR SENATOR PACQUIAO

WHY PEOPLE VOTED FOR SENATOR PACQUIAO
By Maloney L. Samaco

Like all candidates, Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao received hordes of criticisms and
condemnations.  They ranged from absenteeism in Congress, anti-LGBT comment, to incompetence as lawmaker.  But the issues were no match to the overwhelming support given by the voters to the people's champion.

Here are 15 reasons why Congressman Pacquiao is winning as Senator of the Republic of the Philippines.  They just overwhelmed the negative points in the Pacquiao campaign.

1.  Public service is about helping people which he did as a congressman and before he planned of running for public office.

2.  Almost every Filipino knows Pacquiao.  His achievements transcend political boundaries, and go beyond all ages and social classes.

3.  Sportsmen and boxing fans believe he can help Philippine sports development through legislation and action.

4.  He has good programs for agriculture and would support the farmers and work to provide them incentives and subsidies.

5.  He has a title of "champion of the poor."  Bob Arum said "the social welfare system in the Philippines is called Manny Pacquiao."

6.  He promised that Filipino children who have the potential to excel in sports would be trained extensively from their early age until they are well prepared for international competition.

7.  He was honored by the Asia Society as "2015 Game Changer of the Year" awardee at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for using his sport and his star power as forces for good in the fields of education and human trafficking.

8.  He uplifted the spirits of victims of disasters, especially Yolanda in Leyte, and distributed relief goods and assistance from his own pocket.

9.  He has endorsed the construction of classrooms, multipurpose buildings, and water supply systems aside from distributing livelihood assistance to agrarian villages.

10.  The nation has practically zero crime everytime he fights atop the ring as the Filipino people were glued to the television.

11.  He inspired the people with his "rags-to-riches" life story.  He is the international symbol of Filipino courage and gallantry.

12.  He sent thousands of students to school as scholars and vowed to help more out-of-school youths obtain education and technical skills.

13.  He advocated for lasting peace in Mindanao, a decades old problem hounding the country. Himself being a Mindanaoan, he could contribute much to the peace process in the south.

14.  He would look after the welfare of overseas Filipino workers, the unsung heroes of the economy.

15.  He promised to retire from boxing and concentrate on his full time job as member of the Philippine Senate.

Public awareness alone could not make a candidate win a national elective position.  Track records contribute to the winnability of the politician.  And presumptive Senator Manny Pacquiao has solidified his top 12 ranking at No. 7, not at the pound-for-pound rating, but at the senatorial polls.




Wednesday, May 11, 2016

PHILBOXING CONTRIBUTOR WINS BY LANDSLIDE

PHILBOXING CONTRIBUTOR WINS ELECTION CONVINCINGLY
By Maloney L. Samaco

This writer the incumbent Maasin City Mayor won in his election bid as City Vice Mayor in this capital city of Southern Leyte.  I got 27,516 votes against my opponent former councilor Ruel Sibi who garnered 9,476 votes.

We were proclaimed by the COMELEC this morning together with my City Mayor-elect Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial President Nikko Mercado, the son of the governor, who also won convincingly over former mayor Atty. Gerry Dator.  All ten City Councilors who were proclaimed belong to our Liberal Party.

Having served three terms as mayor, yours truly went back to the vice mayoralty. Previously,  I have served three terms as vice mayor and two terms as councilor, for a total of 24 years in service.  I acted as Chairman of the Maasin City Sports Council for 18 years.

My 13-Point Agenda include Sports Excellence which capped Prince Albert Pagara's successful ring exploits. Other achievements of the city in the field of sports include the hosting of the National Boxing Championships 2013, hosting of the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) 2012, and producing Philippine Boxing Federation champions Adones Aguelo and the late Alex Aroy.

This writer also as City Mayor he accompanied the Maasin City athletes in the EVRAA meets in Tacloban, Catarman, Ormoc, Baybay and Calbayog, the Palarong Pambansa at Naga, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban and Lingayen, the Batang Pinoy at Bacolod, Aklan, Romblon and Cebu, and the Philippine National Games at Antique. We were able to produce gold medalists in the national competitions and the Palarong Pambansa.

I supported Manny Pacquiao's senatorial bid even if he belongs to the UNA because I know he can help Philippine sports so much.


Photo shows the writer with Philboxing web editor Dong Secuya at the Waterfront Hotel.





WILL PRESIDENT DUTERTE SUPPORT SPORTS?

WILL PRESIDENT DUTERTE SUPPORT SPORTS?
By Maloney L. Samaco

This is the multi-million peso question often raised by sportsmen and sports fans about presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Sports is something that will build the muscle of the nation. Sports [instills] discipline. It’s part of growing a paradigm for young women or real men,” Duterte was quoted by Rappler.

“I-se-separate ko 'yan. Parang dati na Department of Education, Culture and Sports, pero I am inclined to create another authority. I want sports and sports only sa opisina na yun,” the lawyer mayor added.

It was also reported he was planning to create a Department of Sports.  The last time it became a separate department was during the time of another strongman President Ferdinand Marcos when he created the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Ritchie Garcia is positive Duterte will give due importance to sports development.  “I know that the good mayor will give sports its due,” said Garcia, an big bike enthusiast like Duterte, according to Philippine Star.

“We in the sporting world value the importance of the support MalacaƱang can give in building champion athletes,” added Garcia.

During the opening of Jr. NBA in Davao City, Sports Development Division-City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO) officer-in-charge William “Butch” Ramirez, the former PSC chair, lauded Duterte's all-out support to sports development in his city as reported by Edge Davao.

“Mayor Duterte has always been an advocate of sports promotion and champion of the athletes,” Ramirez said. “Through this program, the young athletes of Davao City will also be given the chance to display their skills before our national coaches.”

UP Mindanao is now the site of a 20-hectare area for the sports complex under the Davao City government’s management.  “The Sports Dome will help promote the development of sports and human kinetics as well as promote maximum image exposure and positive image for Davao City as a sports, tourism, business and investment mecca and zone of peaceful convergence,” said Mayor Duterte as quoted by Business World.

The sports complex called Sports Dome include the following facilities: 35,000-seater stadium, multi-purpose training gym, dormitory and medical building, low-rise commercial block, commercial block and recreation, parking building, power house and pump house, practice fields for football, tennis court, sports arena, archery and practical shooting range, indoor basketball, adventure sports, waste management and water treatment facility, aquatics center, and country club.

The P8 billion sports facility is designed to host national and international sporting events.  A P300-million initial budget for the first phase of the sports complex has been approved and included in the General Appropriations Act for this year and construction had just started.

With all these facts and programs which he had done in Davao City, we can say that Philippine sports is in good hands with incoming President Rodrigo Duterte.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

PROSPECTIVE ALBERT PAGARA FOE CESAR JUAREZ LOSSES BY SD TO GIOVANNI DELGADO

CESAR JUAREZ STILL A GOOD FOE FOR ALBERT PAGARA INSPITE THE LOSS TO GIOVANNI DELGADO
By Maloney L. Samaco

ALA Boxing Promotions was planning to pit super bantamweight contender Cesar Juarez against WBO intercontinental champion Albert Pagara until the Mexican suffered an upset to his countryman Giovanni Delgado during their 10-round encounter Saturday evening at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico; Distrito Federal, Mexico.

Juarez won 95-94 in one score card but lost in the other two who favored Delgado, 96-93 and 95-94.  Jake Donovan of Boxing Scene described the fight as follows:

"It wasn't to be on this night for the local favorite, who was sound offensively but struggled to keep a determined Delgado at bay. The fight was back-and-forth for much of the night, but with Delgado often landing first and at a greater rate.

"Juarez' punches drew the greater reaction whenever he landed, but his best moments came in spurts whereas Delgado's mode of attack was consistent over the course of the night."

They fought in the undercard of the main event Antonio Margarito vs. Jorge Paez, Jr.  superwelterweight bout.  Juarez dropped to 17-5-0 with 13 KO's for a 59% KO rate.  Delgado improved to 16-4 with 9 KO's for a 45% KO rate.

Juarez won back-to-back fights over Cesar Seda and Juan Carlos Sanchez, Jr.  before the  loss to Donaire.  Sanchez was considered to fight Pagara before Talavera.

Juarez was credited for putting up a courageous stand in the WBO world superbantamweight title fight with Nonito Donaire, Jr.  He did not buckle after the fourth round when he was knocked down twice and fought like a true Mexican warrior.

The aggression Juarez showed  in the middle rounds, attacking the 33-year-old Donaire who slowed down in the seventh round onward causing a one eye cut and swelling on the Filipino Flash.  The 24-year-old Juarez floored Donaire with a vaunted left hook in the 10th round, but was ruled as a slip by the referee.

But Donaire rallied in the final rounds to convince the judges for a comfortable unanimous decision. Many experts believed the score would have been closer.  It was a very exciting fight and was even considered as a "Fight of the Year" candidate.

Juarez lost to another Mexican Hugo Partida by majority decision.  While Partida was the same boxer who was stopped by Prince Pagara in the very first round.  Another point of interest is to measure the performance of Pagara against Juarez compared to the Donaire fight.

Juarez could be a good stepping stone for Pagara before his quest for a world title.  Expect an all-out slugfest, the opposite of the "running style" of Talavera.  And much-sought knockout victory could surely come true.









Saturday, March 5, 2016

WHO IS ZSOLT BEDAK?

WHO IS ZSOLT BEDAK?
By Maloney L. Samaco

The next opponent of World Boxing Organization world superbantamweight champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire, Jr. is Hungarian challenger Zsolt Bedak.  He was rated No. 4 contender by the WBO and is set to face Donaire on April 23, 2016 at the Cebu City Sports Center.  

Bedak was born on September 26, 1983 in Budapest, Hungary.  He was also rated No. 13 contender by the WBA.  His younger brother Pal Bedak is also a boxer fighting in the flyweight division and is undefeated in 8 pro fights with 5 KO's.

In 2001, Bedak won the bronze medal at the European Junior Championships in Sarajevo,
Bosnia & Herzegovina.  He became a member of the Hungarian Olympic Team in 2004 in Athens, Greece fighting in the bantamweight division.  He gained a slot for the 2004 Olympics by topping the 1st AIBA European 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

In Athens, he defeated Abner Mares of Mexico, 36-27 in the Round of 32.  But he lost to Maksym Tretyak of Ukraine, 24-27 in the Round of 16.  In 2005, he competed for Romania at the Boxing World Cup in Moscow, Russia.  He lost his first match against Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba, 28-11 but won over Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand in his second preliminary bout. In 2006 he won the bronze medal at the 2006 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

He garnered the gold medal in the 2006 European Union Amateur Boxing Championships in Pecs, Hungary.  He got also the silver medal in the 2004 European Union Amateur Boxing Championships in Madrid, Spain.

He turned pro in 2006 and signed a contract to fight for Hamburg based Universum Box-Promotion.  In his professional debut he won by TKO over Peter Balaz of Slovakia.  In his 13th fight, he won the WBO European super bantamweight title over Franklin Teran of Spain by unanimous decision.

He later annexed the WBO intercontinental super bantamweight title by 2nd round TKO over Yersin Zhailauov of Kazakhstan.  In May 2010, he fought Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. of Puerto Rico in Bayamon for the WBO world superbantamweight title but lost by TKO in the 10th round in his only professional loss.

His last fight was a unanimous division win over Nick Otieno of Kenya last September.  His pro record now stands at 25-1 with 8 wins by KO's for a 31% KO rate.  His nickname is Mr. Lefthook and is now 32 years old.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

QUOTES ON LOVE OF BOXING

LOVE OF BOXING - QUOTES FROM BOXING GREATS
By Maloney L. Samaco

Today is Love Day.  We love boxing as much as we love those who are dear to us.  So we collect 14 famous quotes from 14 great boxers whose passion for the sport made it more intimate and entertaining for us boxing fans.

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" - Muhammad Ali.

"I think my grandmother saw my potential first. When I was young, I told her, 'I think I should get a job.' She said, 'No, just keep boxing.'" - Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

“The tempt for greatness is the biggest drug in the world.” –Mike Tyson.

"Once that bell rings you're on your own. It's just you and the other guy." — Joe Louis.

“Bruce Lee was an artist and, like him, I try to go beyond the fundamentals of my sport. I want the public to see a knockout in the making.” – Sugar Ray Leonard.

"There are a lot of things and in order to be at the top and maintain your focus you have to have something that motivates you. For me, it was what I perceived as a lack of respect from the boxing world as well as the media, which made me want to work so hard and be great." — Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

"Getting hit motivates me. It makes me punish the guy more. A fighter takes a punch, hits back with three punches." — Roberto Duran

"Rhythm is everything in boxing. Every move you make starts with your heart, and that’s in rhythm or you’re in trouble.” –Sugar Ray Robinson.

"The three toughest fighters I ever fought were Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Robinson. I fought Sugar so many times, I'm surprised I'm not diabetic." — Jake LaMotta.

"The question isn’t at what age I want to retire, it’s at what income.” – George Foreman.

"A boxing match is like a cowboy movie. There's got to be good guys and there's got to be bad guys. And that's what people pay for - to see the bad guys get beat." - Sonny Liston.

"You have a small period of time when you can perfect your career and become good at it. A lot of guys get distracted, which only hurts them. You must stay focused and work very hard at boxing." - Gerry Cooney.

"The loss just made me hungry; it made me want to go out and win another title." — Thomas Hearns.

"Boxing is a sport. We allow each other to hit each other, but I'm not treating my opponent like my enemy. We're doing a job to entertain people." - Manny Pacquiao.

Happy Valentines to all PhilBoxing fans.  Especially to my dearest wife Chona.









Thursday, January 14, 2016

ALBERT PAGARA WILLING TO FACE ANY FOE

ALBERT PAGARA WILLING TO FACE ANY FOE
By Maloney L. Samaco

With the cancellation of his fight against Mexican former world champion Juan Carlos Sanchez, ALA Gym standout Albert Pagara is willing to face any foe that will be contracted by his boss Michael Aldeguer as a substitute opponent.

Sanchez had a contractual problem with his agent and ALA Promotions did not want to deal with complicated fighters. "We may not push through with Sanchez for Pagara on February 27. He has contract problems with his representatives and we don't want any complications," Aldeguer was quoted by Sunstar Cebu.

Still Pinoy Pride 35 billed "Stars of the Future" will push through at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.  It will also feature undefeated boxers Mark Magsayo and Kevin Jake Cataraja.

"I trained very hard and had reduced 10 pounds to prepare for Sanchez.  I was a bit saddened with the withdrawal of my opponent," said Pagara in a phone conversation with this writer. "They are looking for a substitute, preferably a Mexican, and I'm willing to face any fighter."

"The change in challenger did not hamper my determination to train rigidly," continued Pagara who is a fast-rising star in the No. 1 boxing stable in the country.

The Maasin-born undefeated pugilist is aiming for a world title fight.  Sanchez would have been a very ideal stepping stone for his global dream.  Pagara is rated No. 6 by The Ring in the junior featherweight/superbantamweight division.

Prince Pagara is also rated No. 8 by the WBC, No. 3 by the IBF and No. 4 by the WBO in the whole world.  Boxrec listed him as the No. 8 boxer in his division.  He has 25 wins with no defeat no draw and 18 KO wins with a 72% knockout rate.