All's well that ends well.
Following a commitment from Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao that he will take care of two of Mindanao's promising boxers who have been waiting for fights in the US for six months, Top Rank has finally scheduled a fight for one of them.
"We will be able to squeeze in one of them in the Dec.12 card of Top Rank with Telefutura," Pacquiao's lawyer, Jeng Gacal, told Vice Governor Manny Pinol, the boxers' manager, Tuesday.
Gacal said upon instructions from Pacquiao, he immediately talked to Top Rank President Bob Arum about the plight of the two boxers.
"There seems to be a miscommunication somewhere because Bob is not aware that Top Rank has signed up Glenn Gonzales and Jundy Maraon," Gacal said.
Gonzales, a featherweight (7 wins, 4 KOs, 1 draw) and Maraon, a bantamweight (10 wins, 8 KOs, 1 draw), both 23 years old, were signed up by Top Rank late last year through the recommendation of Pacquiao.
The 3-year promotional contract was facilitated by Top Rank executive Todd duBoef and was used as the basis for the issuance of the working visa to the two boxers.They were promised 4 fights a year but since arriving in the US in April this year, only Gonzales has fought, on July 5 winning a bout against Florida-based Robert daLuz.
"We wanted to accommodate both of them but the card is already filled up and that's Top Rank's last fight promotion for the year," Gacal said.
Vice Gov. Pinol said that Gonzales, known as "Rapid Fire" and 5' 7" tall, will have to come home to the Philippines on Nov. 12 for a 10-round non-title fight with a still unnamed Thai opponent on Nov. 25 in the big town of Midsayap in North Cotabato which will mark its foundation anniversary.
"We have to keep him active or else he will rust. Glenn needs at least a dozen more fights before he could take on the big names." Vice Gov. Pinol said of his cousin whose development as a fighter he nurtured since the boxer was an amateur at age 12.
Gonzales, a southpaw who caught the eye of trainer Freddie Roach when he was still a 4-round fighter, was a silver medallist of the Asian Youth Boxing Championships as a member of the Philippine national boxing team.
A shattered bone in his left hand, however, stunted his career as he had to undergo a bone graft and had to rest for one year.
Maraon's opponent has not been named yet, said Atty. Gacal, but he added it would be most likely be a Mexican.
Tall for a bantamweight at 5' "6, Maraon, called "Pretty Boy" because of his good looks is a village chief's son in Suminot, Zamboanga del Sur who joined Vice Gov. Pinol's Braveheart Boxing Club through the latter's young brother, M'lang Mayor Lito Pinol three years ago.
A tremendous puncher, Maraon, also a southpaw, is considered as one of the most powerful boxers in his division. "It is not often that you a see a boxer who can knock out an opponent with one punch but Maraon is one of those rare power punchers," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
The only blemish in his record was a draw with Pacquiao boxer Ernel Fontanilla who suffered a small cut in the forehead following a smashing left unleashed by Maraon in the 2nd round of their fight in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Oscar Larios bout.
"Fontanilla was on the way down but Buboy (Fernandez, Pacquiao trainer) saw a way out by asking the doctor to stop the fight because of that small cut and it was declared a draw," said Vice Gov. Pinol.
In one of his sparring sessions in Watsonville, California where he is being supervised by Mexican assistant trainer Josh Sanchez, Maraon knocked out cold in sparring a top US bantamweight amateur fighter.
"Such is the power of Maraon and this makes him a very exciting fighter," said Vice Gov. Pinol.
Gonzales and Maraon are two of a dozen outstanding but largely unknown boxers from Mindanao who now fight under the Braveheart Boxing Club of Vice Gov. Pinol.
11/1/08
Pinol fighters back to RP after Top Rank's Arum fails to fulfill promise
Featherweight Glenn "Rapid Fire" Gonzales and bantamweight Jundy "Pretty Boy" Maraon, who were earlier signed up by Top Rank boxing promotions, are flying home to the Philippines Nov. 12 to take a few fights before aiming for the national boxing titles in their respective divisions.
North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pinol, the boxers' manager, said he decided to bring home the two boxers after they failed to get the fights promised to them by Top Rank in a contract which they signed last year.
"I have emailed Bob Arum (Top Rank president) and Todd duBoef asking them to release us from our contractual obligations with them because they failed to give the boys the 4-fight a year commitment in the promotional contract that we signed," he said.
Since arriving in the US in April this year, only Glenn Gonzales was given a fight on July 5 at the Planet Hollywood where he outpointed Florida-based featherweight Robert daLuz in 6 rounds.
"The boys have languished in Salinas City training hard and waiting for the fights that never came," Vice Gov. Pinol lamented.
He said the problem started when Manny Pacquiao's MP Promotions, through his errand man Michael Koncz, informed him that MP Promotions and Top Rank have an agreement that all Filipino fighters appearing in Top Rank cards must go through MP Promotions.
This agreement between Top Rank and MP Promotions was invoked only after Gonzales and Maraon were signed up by Bob Arum through the recommendation of Pacquiao himself.
Vice Gov. Pinol said he talked to Manny Pacquiao personally about the arrangement shortly before his fight against David Diaz in Las Vegas and an agreement was reached on the purse percentage that would go to MP Promotions.
"Manny Pacquiao is not to be blamed here. He wouldn't be interested in the purse percentage. That's loose change compared to the millions of dollars that he earns. It's actually Koncz whose blocking the way," he said.
"Obviously Koncz would like me to go through him. I still maintain my self-respect. I am interested in getting fights for my boxers but I would not go down to the level of begging especially from somebody like Koncz," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
"I understand that the odds are stacked up against us. Between maintaining a close relationship with Manny Pacquiao and fulfilling a contractual commitment to two unknown and unproven fighters, Bob Arum will certainly opt not to offend Pacquiao," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
He said he tried to communicate with Manny Pacquiao but with his preparation for the fight against Oscar dela Hoya in high gear, all efforts proved futile.
"Manny should know that an injustice is being perpetrated against his fellow boxers," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
On Nov. 25, Gonzales, 5' 7" (7 wins, 4 knockouts and 1 draw) will go up against a Thai fighter while Maraon, 5' 6" (10 wins, 8 knockouts and 1 draw) will fight a still unnamed Filipino fighter, in a big boxing event that will mark the foundation day of the town of Midsayap in North Cotabato.
"After two or three more local fights, we will line up Gonzales against the Philippine featherweight champion Vinvin Rufino and Maraon against the current bantam titleholder Malcolm Tunacao," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
"I'm not in a hurry. My boys are young (Gonzales and Maraon are both 23 years old) and we will be in boxing for a long, long time," he said.
Aside from Gonzales and Maraon, Vice Gov. Pinol's Braveheart Boxing Club also manages undefeated jr. featherweight Rolando "Smooth Operator" Magbanua, 23 (5' 5" tall; 11 wins, 7 KOs), the explosive and undefeated featherweight Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva, 22, (5' 7" tall; 9 wins all by KO); miniflyweight Rommel "My Little Assassin" Asenjo, 19, (5' 3"; 9 wins, 7 KOs, 2 losses) and the Philippine rated No. 1 lightflyweight Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong 23, (5' 4"; 12 wins, 6 KOs, 2 losses); No. 1 bantamweight Glenn "The Rock" Porras, 23, (5' 5"; 16 wins, 12 KOs, 2 losses); and No. 1 jr. featherweight Reynaldo "Boy of Steel" Belandres, 23, (9 wins, 7 KOs, 1 draw).
Magbanua will fight former world superbantamweight champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand in a Cebu City card promoted by Sammy Gello-ani Nov. 30 while Villanueva, described by trainers as "a boy who hits like a mule", will fight another Thai on Nov. 25.
North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pinol, the boxers' manager, said he decided to bring home the two boxers after they failed to get the fights promised to them by Top Rank in a contract which they signed last year.
"I have emailed Bob Arum (Top Rank president) and Todd duBoef asking them to release us from our contractual obligations with them because they failed to give the boys the 4-fight a year commitment in the promotional contract that we signed," he said.
Since arriving in the US in April this year, only Glenn Gonzales was given a fight on July 5 at the Planet Hollywood where he outpointed Florida-based featherweight Robert daLuz in 6 rounds.
"The boys have languished in Salinas City training hard and waiting for the fights that never came," Vice Gov. Pinol lamented.
He said the problem started when Manny Pacquiao's MP Promotions, through his errand man Michael Koncz, informed him that MP Promotions and Top Rank have an agreement that all Filipino fighters appearing in Top Rank cards must go through MP Promotions.
This agreement between Top Rank and MP Promotions was invoked only after Gonzales and Maraon were signed up by Bob Arum through the recommendation of Pacquiao himself.
Vice Gov. Pinol said he talked to Manny Pacquiao personally about the arrangement shortly before his fight against David Diaz in Las Vegas and an agreement was reached on the purse percentage that would go to MP Promotions.
"Manny Pacquiao is not to be blamed here. He wouldn't be interested in the purse percentage. That's loose change compared to the millions of dollars that he earns. It's actually Koncz whose blocking the way," he said.
"Obviously Koncz would like me to go through him. I still maintain my self-respect. I am interested in getting fights for my boxers but I would not go down to the level of begging especially from somebody like Koncz," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
"I understand that the odds are stacked up against us. Between maintaining a close relationship with Manny Pacquiao and fulfilling a contractual commitment to two unknown and unproven fighters, Bob Arum will certainly opt not to offend Pacquiao," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
He said he tried to communicate with Manny Pacquiao but with his preparation for the fight against Oscar dela Hoya in high gear, all efforts proved futile.
"Manny should know that an injustice is being perpetrated against his fellow boxers," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
On Nov. 25, Gonzales, 5' 7" (7 wins, 4 knockouts and 1 draw) will go up against a Thai fighter while Maraon, 5' 6" (10 wins, 8 knockouts and 1 draw) will fight a still unnamed Filipino fighter, in a big boxing event that will mark the foundation day of the town of Midsayap in North Cotabato.
"After two or three more local fights, we will line up Gonzales against the Philippine featherweight champion Vinvin Rufino and Maraon against the current bantam titleholder Malcolm Tunacao," Vice Gov. Pinol said.
"I'm not in a hurry. My boys are young (Gonzales and Maraon are both 23 years old) and we will be in boxing for a long, long time," he said.
Aside from Gonzales and Maraon, Vice Gov. Pinol's Braveheart Boxing Club also manages undefeated jr. featherweight Rolando "Smooth Operator" Magbanua, 23 (5' 5" tall; 11 wins, 7 KOs), the explosive and undefeated featherweight Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva, 22, (5' 7" tall; 9 wins all by KO); miniflyweight Rommel "My Little Assassin" Asenjo, 19, (5' 3"; 9 wins, 7 KOs, 2 losses) and the Philippine rated No. 1 lightflyweight Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong 23, (5' 4"; 12 wins, 6 KOs, 2 losses); No. 1 bantamweight Glenn "The Rock" Porras, 23, (5' 5"; 16 wins, 12 KOs, 2 losses); and No. 1 jr. featherweight Reynaldo "Boy of Steel" Belandres, 23, (9 wins, 7 KOs, 1 draw).
Magbanua will fight former world superbantamweight champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand in a Cebu City card promoted by Sammy Gello-ani Nov. 30 while Villanueva, described by trainers as "a boy who hits like a mule", will fight another Thai on Nov. 25.
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