(Last of three parts) In the predigital age of media, the printed word was king, and newspapers ruled. If an event wasn’t in the papers, it never happened. In the mid-1970s, newsrooms were shifting from “hot metal” to “cold type”—from molten lead and oily typesetting machines to early computers, photo-typesetting, and paste-up. For many, that...
Tag: boxing
Post
It was every bit the promised ‘Thrilla in Manila’—and more
(Second of three parts) This oft-quoted line from Dick Young of the New York Daily News has not lost its shine 50 years after Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought each other nearly to the death in probably the most brutal—and greatest—boxing match in history. Young was among the sportswriting gods who descended on the...
Post
Barefoot and larger than life: My (un)forgettable exclusive with Muhammad Ali
(First of three parts) The elevator door opened to the ninth floor of what was then the Manila Hilton, which the then world heavyweight champion would call home for a fortnight before what he himself christened the “Thrilla in Manila.” Photographer Eddie Alfonso and I were startled to see a bemoustached man waiting at the...
Post
You defied the odds again but enough of the hubris, Manny Pacquiao
You’ve made your point: You can still go toe-to-toe with the best in your weight class. You have a lot of fight left in you. Maybe an extra month of training could have added zest and spring to those once-nimble feet. A point or two in the judges’ scorecard might have swung the contest in...
Post
Boxer Nesthy Petecio is sole survivor in Philippines’ Day 7 Olympic bid
The Philippines’ flag-bearer, boxer Nesthy Petecio, put on a clinic in her opener in the Paris Olympics with a unanimous decision over India’s Jaismine Lamboria on Wednesday. The 32-year-old silver medalist in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics schooled Lamboria, younger by 10 years, in all three rounds of the match in the 57kg division of women’s...
Post
Quest for gold: Paris is boxer Nesthy Petecio’s ‘final mission’
Nesthy Petecio made it abundantly clear—Paris 2024 is the last time she will compete on the Olympic stage. The lingering injuries she could once ignore, feel more serious now. The rest she used to sacrifice to get in more reps of training, feels as valuable as ever. Father Time is slowly catching up to her...
Post
After clinching world title, Melvin Jerusalem eyes ‘every boxer’s dream’
Once again, Melvin Jerusalem restored boxing glory for the Philippines after capturing the World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight title on Easter Sunday. Jerusalem edged Yudai Shigeoka of Japan via a split decision in Nagoya, Japan, to reclaim his status as a world champion. “I could already feel that I’m winning. But when you’re inside the...
Post
After KO win, Marcial sees action in Paris Olympics
Eumir Marcial decimated Thoedsak Sinam of Thailand in his homecoming bout on Saturday, March 23, at Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Manila. Next stop, the 2024 Paris Olympics. Marcial’s thunderous left uppercut found Sinam’s chin, sending the Thai to the realm of ghosts and shadows. There was a delayed reaction when the blow connected, but...
Post
A muddled recollection (or did Sonny Padilla really influence a title fight?)
It was an interview Carlos “Sonny” Padilla Jr. should not have engaged in. For the few unaware, the name Sonny Padilla is synonymous with boxing not only in the Philippines but also in the United States. Last Aug. 8, he was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (Class of 2020) along with Miguel...