Of Boxing Sweets and Sugars

Sugar Shane Mosley and Sugar Ray Leonard only borrowed it from the "original" Sugar Ray Robinson AKA Walter Smith, Jr, who was born in Detroit on May 3, 1921. Boxing historians said that to beat the minimum age on his maiden fight, Smith borrowed the birth certificate of his friend, Ray Robinson, and hit the big time when he defeated Tommy Bell in December of 1946 for the welterweight division in a title fight and not unlike Manny Pacquiao, Sugar Ray bring sweetness to social, political and economic bitterness of many countries around the world and World War II’s acidic aftertaste that time.

Ray Robinson acquired this nickname after a journalist for a local newspaper named Jack Case told George Gainford (Robinson's manager) that he had a sweet fighter in Robinson, and his manager replied, "As sweet as sugar". Jack Case remembered this comment because in his newspaper article the next day, he named Ray "Sugar Ray Robinson", thus the ring name.

The statistic shows the sourness and sweetness of Sugar Ray Robinson’s career: In 202 professional fights he registered 109 KOs, won 66 on-point decisions, had 6 draws, lost 18 via scorecard, was knocked out once, and had 2 no contest. He died on April 12, 1989, at 67 due to Alzheimer's disease and, of all diseases, diabetes!

Robinson’s boxing career was a combination of bitter-sweet-sweet-bitter journey. Not unlike Pacquiao. Sugar Ray lost when he challenged Joey Maxim for the light-heavyweight title and opted to retire in 1952 but after 3 years, he once again climbed the ring and beat the middleweight title from Carl “Bobo” (Certainly, a Filipino would not choose it for a ring name!) Olson.

Sugar Ray’s career was a roller coaster ride until he lost the title for good to Paul Pender on January 22, 1960, exactly two years and one day before this scribe was born.

But why is boxing called a sweet science? British journalist named Pierce Egan in 1824, while he was covering the sport, referred to boxing as “the sweet science of bruising”. Since then, boxing has been referred to as the "sweet science."

It was the summer of 1947 when Sugar Ray Robinson slugged it out against Jimmy Doyle and Robinson beat him so badly that Doyle collapsed and died. Some days later, at the hearing into the death, the district attorney turned to Ray and asked accusingly, "Couldn't you see he was hurt?" Sugar Ray looked at him resentfully. "Sir," he told him, "it's my business to hurt people."

Even today, the statement is true. The business of boxing is still aimed at hurting the opponent. It is the unmatched gruesome business that we all love to watch. But it has no place for arrogance and conceit because boxing is a dignified sport.

Indeed, the sweet science of hurting people with full respect. Boxing is a paradox.

Of Bruce Lee and Manny Paquiao

There are two Asian fists that shook the world. One is that of Bruce Lee and the other belongs to Manny Pacquiao.

Bruce Lee was born November 27, 1940 in San Francisco, more than 8 decades ago today.

Manny Pacquiao is an avid fan of Bruce Lee no doubt. SenaPac (Yes, this is how I call him at times) told GMA news that Bruce Lee is his idol. Boxing’s only 8-division champ further said, “All of Bruce Lee’s movies, I watch it. The quickness of his hand speed – bop!” Pacquiao admitted that he formed his fighting style watching the martial arts legend’s flicks when he was still the Kid Kulafu of General Santos City.

In case you do not know, Leo Fong, former Bruce Lee student told EsNews Boxing in 2015 that Bruce Lee got his footwork from Muhammad Ali. Well, in this sense, Lee’s Jet Kune Do, in one way or another, has a root in boxing. In an interview in 2011, Jet Kune Do follower Teri Tom observed that Pacquiao throws his jab with his fist, turning his hip and putting the strong side forward, in a feinting movement that looks very similar to Lee’s technique. Tom further said, “There are people who have studied Bruce Lee for many, many decades and they can’t break it down and figure it out. Manny has done it,” Tom told GMA that year. “And I would assume he’s done it without an instructor. It seems like he absorbed a lot of what he saw Bruce Lee doing, he put the strong side up front,” Tom also said in 2011. 

Bruce Lee would have been 83-years-old today, had he not passed away at the young age of 33. His followers went towards different ways after his untimely demise at passed his legacy across generations influencing the only 8-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

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Reference : https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3016526/manny-pacquiao-channels-bruce-lee-keith-thurman-fight-his-actions-and

https://biography.yourdictionary.com/articles/how-did-bruce-lee-die.html

Photo: Twitter/Manny Pacquiao

Tapales Vs. Inoue and the big upsets in Tokyo

 

Filipino boxer Marlon Tapales will be passing through a monstrous test this coming December 26 in Japan. It is a grand four-belt unification bout against the boxing sensation, the WBC & WBO super bantamweight champion and spotless record-holder (25-0, 22 KOs) Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs), AKA “Maranding Nightmare” is the current IBF & WBA champion. Maranding by the way, is a village in the southern part of the Municipality of Lala in Lanao del Norte province in the Philippines, Tapales’s home province.

Tapales became world champion when he challenged and won against the then incumbent unified champion Murodion Akhmadaliev for the unified WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles. The bout was held at Tech Port Arena in San Antonio, Texas. Tapales shocked the sweet science world as he was the underdog against the undefeated Akhmadaliev. The Filipino won via SD on that 8 April 2023 fight.

The Tapales-Inoue mega-fight is promoted by Hideyuki Ohashi of Ohashi Promotions. Tapales’ manager is JC Manangquil of Sanman Boxing Promotions.

Fighting spirit

Tapales and his team are now in Baguio preparing for the year’s biggest yearend brawl. "I will be the Japanese monster’s biggest nightmare this coming December in his hometown," said Tapales.

The 31-year-old Filipino pugilist is not only aiming for a fat purse but to make history in Philippine boxing as the country’s first-ever four-belt unified champion. It is the first-ever battle between two Asians for such a historic feat.

According to MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons, who is in charge of negotiating on behalf of Team Tapales, "Marlon is known for his never-give-up attitude despite the tall odds. He fights in any given situation, adjusts, and never fears. He will be coming for the monster.”

If Filipino champion Tapales beats Inoue, then it's going to be boxing's biggest upset this year.

Upsets happen

Every underdog boxer, as their fight approaches, is aimed at a high-definition upset. And in this particular case “doing a Morris.” But what is in that “Morris” allusion of mine?

Also in Tokyo on September 9, 1992, Filipino boxer Morris East downed the heavy favorite Akinubo Hiranaka for the WBA World Super Lightweight Championship at Nippon Budokan Hall. Hiranaka is 1984 Los Angeles Olympian and his country’s biggest prospect those days.

In a very intense fight, East unleashed an almost invisible left straight to the chin on the 11^th round and the Japanese knelt, rolled, and laid face down on the canvas. That was 31 years ago today.

Boxing is beautiful because it offers a lot of surprises. It is a game that would change everything in just a wink of an eye.

The bearded Hiranaka was diagnosed with an intracranial hemorrhage after the fistival and was forced into retirement. His record was 20-2-0 (18KOs). He also has the highest KO percentage of any Japanese boxer (90%) whereas Inoue has just 88%.

East’s assault on Hiranaka was named the 1992 Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year.

Also, Mike Tyson- Buster Douglas’ first fight, which is considered the biggest upset in sports history, was also held in Tokyo, the same city as the Hiranaka-East and Inoue-Tapales fights.

Youngest Champ

Morris East was the youngest Filipino World Champion ever.

Morris East, who had a 15-2 win-loss record at that time, was born and raised in Olongapo City on August 8, 1973, to an American serviceman father and a Filipina mother. He was just 19 years old then and the youngest Filipino world champion ever and very controversial too.

Would Tapales do a Morris in December in that same Japanese city? The whole nation prays so.

Except for the dyed-in-the-wool fans of a certain Filipino fighter who mostly hate or are skeptical about him for very irrational reasons. This includes boxing pundits from all over judging objectively from all aspects of the sport saying that the Filipino has no chance against the Japanese.

Tapales and his team, led by Coach Ernel Fontanilla, are destined to prove them wrong.