Festi-val Fes”ti-val, n. A time of feasting or celebration; an anniversary day of joy, civil or religious.
Slugfest S-lug-fest, n. a lot of boxing—may mean bloodshed.
It is definitely a slugfest—-this boxing event that would come to local television this morning care of ABS-CBN. The World Cup of Boxing featuring six Filipino boxers pitted against six Mexican boxers could prove to be as rambunctious as a karaoke bar melee and could possibly be as vicious. This boxing event is a first of some sort for we’ve never heard about any world cup competition in professional boxing, pitting a nation against one. This might be history in the making for certain and it is unprecedented to be sure. In yesterday’s weigh-in, Filipino and Mexican supporters came in droves with placards and banners. The atmosphere was so vibrant that you thought Brazil was going up against Germany in a soccer world cup competition.
Despite that in actuality this World Cup of Boxing is basically a title fight between nimble Filipino Upstart Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista against Mexican champ and stalwart Daniel Ponce De Leon, it is wholly novelty as a sports event.
On the one hand, the decision to make this a Philippine against Mexico boxing competition (instead of Bautista versus Ponce De Leon title match) may understate its title fight importance for certainly, we’ve never heard of any world cup in boxing; unlike in football or tennis. It feels half the time like a WWF wrestling special event where fights are phony and often ridiculous. This made me wish that the organizers have toned down the “world cup” angle and focused on Bautista’s most difficult challenge to date, in light of his stature as a possible mainman and national hero like Manny Pacquiao.
This should be a Bautista-Ponce De Leon title match basically and a sprinkling of undercards that happens to all involved Filipinos and Mexicans in either side.
Be it as it may seem—-the organizers of this eponymous World Cup of Boxing are perhaps intrigued by the idea of creating another interesting idea about professional boxing, about finding our what country is the best in the sports of boxing today. This particular time, it is whether Philippines can be a better boxing nation than Mexico. Perhaps USA and Cuba would jump in and join the fray later on and decide to be called as the best boxing nation of all. Thailand would surely be thinking of this if Philippines or Mexico boasts of boxing supremacy when the dusts are cleared after this World Cup of Boxing event in Sacramento, California. The fact that this event is being held in Sacramento poses some credence to this one-of-a-kind competition plus the $500,000 grand prize that goes for the team winner—-plus the “cup” of course. And the whole world might be watching with extreme eagerness.
Could this spur a new era and form of competition in boxing? It is too early to tell. Would the Philippines come up with more wins out of the six matches? I do hope so.
No comments:
Post a Comment