Fostering ring diplomacy

MANILA, Philippines — It was a distinctive display of boxing diplomacy as National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao recently engaged visiting President of Poland Karol Nawrocki in a brief punch-mitt workout at the Elorde Gym on Sucat, Parañaque.

There was something more than their role as political leaders that brought Pacquiao and Nawrocki together. Boxing was the other common denominator. Nawrocki, 43, was an amateur boxer in his youth and in 2001, won the Polish Junior Cup 91kg championship. He trained with the RKS Stoczniowiec club in Gdansk, a city on the Baltic coast of northern Poland, from 2000 to 2004. A socially-active nationalist, academician and historian, Nawrocki was elected president last year.

During his state visit, Nawrocki paid a courtesy call on President Marcos at Malacañang last Tuesday and the next day, went to the Elorde Gym where he was welcomed by Pacquiao and the Elorde family. He entered the ring, wearing 12-ounce gloves and was ready to work the pads held by former Oriental lightweight champion Dennis Laurente when Pacquiao stepped in. Johnny Elorde’s wife Liza requested Pacquiao to hold the mitts instead and he obliged without hesitation. Both Nawrocki and Pacquiao took off their jackets, wore T-shirts and kept their dress shoes on.

Nawrocki, who’s 6-1, belted the mitts like a pro, displaying a sharp right jab, dropping hooks and uppercuts and surely, catching Pacquiao’s attention. Both southpaws enjoyed the bonding in the ring and later watched IBF minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran spar with WBC International lightflyweight titlist Arvin Magramo over three rounds.

In an exchange of gifts, Nawrocki gave Pacquiao a chess board and cuff links shaped like a glove and the Elorde family espresso coffee cups, scarf and a box of the famous Polish honey. In turn, Pacquiao presented a Hall of Fame pair of Cleto Reyes gloves with his image and a bottle of House of Pacquiao wine from Napa Valley while the Elorde family handed key-chain gloves, boxing gloves, shirts and a 3rd Pacquiao-Elorde Awards remembrance.

“Sec. Manny told the President he started his career at Elorde’s when he was 15,” recounted Liza. “It was a huge honor for our family to host President Karol at our gym. With Sec. Manny present, the visit served as an inspiration to our young boxers some of whom mentioned pwede rin pala sila maging pangulo. The President invited Sec. Manny and our family to visit the Presidential Palace in Poland. While conversing with the President, he told us he had about 30 fights as an amateur.”