They were there, an explosive bunch of Filipino warriors who should be fighting for a world crown anytime soon.
But it’s not the fault of these Filipino internationalists if it has become hard to look for the next big star in Philippine boxing.
The win-win Filipino warriors were indeed there—but hardly seen.
It has become a mismatch. While the young Filipino audience is regularly exposed to assorted entertainment fare, most of them with zero or shallow cultural value, the sporting heroism of our younger boxers in foreign arenas hardly get any exposure here at home.
Jhack Tepora stopped a former African world titlist in a main event in South Africa last weekend. Frank Duno put up a sizzling performance at the Forum in California.
Who’s Tepora? Who’s Duno?
Tepora, 21-0, 16 KOs, stopped Lusanda Kumanisi, a former world champion, in the second round in his first international outing to capture the WBO Intercontinental featherweight title. Duno, 21, scored a sizzling decision over veteran Mexican lightweight Juan Pablo Sanchez. The win was a big follow up to Duno’s stoppage of the unbeaten Golden Boy standout Christian Gonzales in California last March.
That sensational Duno victory was recorded on YouTube, which veteran sports columnist Al S. Mendoza gladly lent me. What a treat. At the same time, Al continued to wonder why there has been no showing of these fights here at home—unlike before.
Allow me to report that it’s hard to miss the clamor among avid Filipino boxing fans for a chance to watch these future Pinoy world champions.
Out in the city wet market sports hub, vendors and customers would regularly ask for details of fights featuring young Filipino boxers abroad the morning after their bouts.
At the same time, many people continue to wonder if professional boxing authorities, like the Games and Amusement Board, could do something to have these fights brought to simple Filipino living rooms, even on a delayed basis.
Of course, they also ask out there if these self-styled boxing authorities honestly care for Philippine boxing.
(FIGHT NOTES: Former Olympian Anthony Barriga was set to fight for the WBO minimum weight title in Beijing yesterday… Jerwin Ancajas of the MP Promotions goes to Belfast, Ireland, to defend his IBF super bantamweight crown on Nov. 19… Nonito Donaire Jr. says he would be ready to go for a world crown proper early next.)