Manny back on top

(First of 2 parts)

MANILA, Philippines -  The big story in Philippine professional boxing in 2016 was Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s return to the throne as WBO welterweight champion. After losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the sport’s richest fight ever last year, Pacquiao came roaring back to win twice – first, over Timothy Bradley for the vacant WBO International welterweight crown last April and second, over Jessie Vargas to regain the WBO diadem in the 147-pound division last month.

Pacquiao, now 38, is tipped to fight twice more next year before hanging up his gloves. Undefeated WBO/WBC superlightweight champion Terence Crawford has been mentioned as a possible opponent but it appears likely that Pacquiao will end his career with two “payback” bouts against Juan Manuel Marquez and Mayweather. Pacquiao will only fight when the Senate takes a break so the schedule could be Marquez in June and Mayweather in November. Those are legacy battles for Pacquiao who’d like to end his career with a bang. But win or lose both fights, it’s certain Pacquiao will retire as one of the greatest fighters who ever lived.

Last year, Filipinos saw action in 19 world title fights, posting a win-loss-draw record of 6-12-1. There were only four Filipinos who held world titles when 2015 came to a close – WBO lightflyweight king Donnie Nietes, WBO superbantamweight ruler Nonito Doniare, IBO lightflyweight champion Rey Loreto and interim WBA lightflyweight titlist Randy Petalcorin.

In 2016, Filipinos figured in only 13 world championship bouts, registering a 9-4 mark. As the year nears its end, the reigning Filipino world titleholders are Pacquiao, interim IBF lightflyweight champion Milan Melindo, IBF superlfyweight ruler Jerwin Ancajas, WBO bantamweight king Marlon Tapales and Women’s International Boxing Association/Global Boxing Union minimumweight queen Gretchen Abaniel. Three Filipinos relinquished their world crowns voluntarily during the year – Loreto as IBO lightflyweight champion, Nietes as WBO lightflyweight titlist and Johnriel Casimero as IBF flyweight ruler.

Not a single Filipino saw action in a WBA or IBO world title fight this year. There were six fights sanctioned by the WBO, four by the IBF and two by the WBC. Only two fighters were engaged in two world title bouts. One was Casimero who stopped Thailand’s Amnat Ruenroeng for the IBF flyweight throne in Bangkok last May and halted England’s Charlie Edwards to retain the belt in London last September. The other was Donaire who trounced Hungary’s Zsolt Bedak in Cebu last April and bowed to Jessie Magdaleno on points in Las Vegas last November.

Donaire, 34, has called out Magdaleno for a rematch and a chance to regain his WBO title. But Magdaleno, who initially showed a lot of respect for Donaire after their fight, has changed his tune and lately accused the Filipino Flash of ducking him twice before agreeing to the mandatory defense. Magdaleno had earlier assured Donaire of a rematch to repay him for the title crack.

The latest development is Donaire has been lined up for a box-off to fill the WBC throne vacated by Japan’s Hozumi Hasegawa who recently retired. The WBC has ordered No. 1 Rey Vargas of Mexico to face No. 2 Gavin McDonnell of Great Britain for the vacant title. Two other box-offs are in the works – No. 3 Hugo Ruiz of Mexico against No. 5 Anselmo Moreno of Panama and No. 4 Julio Ceja of Mexico and No. 6 Donaire. The winners of Ruiz-Moreno and Ceja-Donaire will slug it out for the right to challenge the winner of Vargas-McDonnell.

It’s not certain what route Donaire will take but his plan is to fight thrice in 2017 against “the best out there.” He won’t back down from a rematch with Cuba’s Guillermo Rigondeaux or a showdown with the winner of the Carl Frampton-Leo Santa Cruz duel for the WBA featherweight crown in Las Vegas on Jan. 28. His priority is to take on Magdaleno again but if that’s not possible, he’ll do whatever it takes to bring him back in the world title mainstream.

Donaire was one of only four Filipinos to lose in world title fights this year. The others were Jetro Pabustan, Jonathan Taconing and Richie Mepranum. Pabustan lost on a seventh round technical decision to defending WBO bantamweight champion Panya Uthok in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, last February. The fight was stopped due to a cut on Pabustan’s left eyebrow inflicted by an accidental headbutt. At the time of the stoppage, Uthok was ahead by a mile in the three judges’ scorecards which were identical at 70-63. Pabustan, a southpaw from Sarangani now based in Cagayan de Oro, lost to Edison Berwela in his most recent outing in Benguet last month and now has a record of 27-4-6, with 8 KOs.

Taconing bowed to Mexico’s Ganigan Lopez on a 12-round unanimous decision for the WBC lightflyweight crown in Mexico City last July. The Zamboanga del Norte fighter was deducted a point for an accidental headbutt but it didn’t matter as the scorecards showed Lopez comfortably on top in the end, 119-108, 119-109, 115-112. It was Taconing’s second loss in a world title bout. In 2012, he lost to Thailand’s Suriyan Satorn in a WBC lightflyweight title match by a majority technical decision in the fifth round in Buriram, Thailand. Taconing, 29, has a 23-3-1 record, with 19 KOs, and is the reigning Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightflyweight champion.

Last April, Mepranum was decisioned by Mexico’s Carlos Cuadras in a WBC superflyweight title fight in Sinaloa, Mexico. It was the Sarangani southpaw’s third loss in a world title fight. In 2010, he was stopped by Julio Cesar Miranda for the vacant WBO flyweight crown and four years later, surrendered to Juan Francisco Estrada at the end of nine rounds in a WBA/WBO flyweight title fight. Mepranum, 29, suffered the three setbacks in Mexico. His record is now 31-6-1, with 8 KOs.