Sports Weekend

War for 4 Highlights
Erik Morales returned fire for fire, displayed the courage and machismo that has been attached to his legendary name for the past few years, and in the end, showed the world that he still has the skills to fight. Nobody expected him to last the distance against the aggressive and defending champion, after all Manny Pacquiao demolished him in only three rounds in his last fight prior to this one. Never under estimate the heart of a champion. Erik, the challenger and former three-time world champion in as many weight divisions, dropped the defending champion in the very first round of the championship bout. Diaz, the defending champion, caught him with a series of vicious punches to the face and seems to end the fight by pursuing the aging Morales to the ropes. Morales fought back and landed a crisp right to the jaw of Diaz sending him down to the canvas with the time about to end the first round. The following rounds were unforgiving, being a fan of the ever-engaging Morales, I seem to feel both pity and admiration for Erik. Pity because it's clear to me that the punches that he absorbed seems too much for his age, admiration because no matter how many punches he absorbed, he still fought back. And Erik even seems to be winning a lot of rounds, plus the 1st round knock down.

In the end, the previous wars that Erik has been to affected him. He is not the same legendary fighter that once beaten both Barrera and Pacquiao. His legs and body movement were not there anymore, his mind is willing to fight, his heart is not be questioned, but his body is no longer responding in his favor. And in the last three or four rounds, he was breathing heavily, he was practically a stationary target and he eventually lost on a points decision.

Thank you Erik for those memorable wars. Please retire and avoid the ring punishments, you've already proven a lot.

In the same fight card, Rodel Mayol of Cebu, Philippines fought for the WBC junior flyweight title (108-pound limit). The first three rounds, Rodel seems to be too eager to land his powerful punches. I can't blame him for this attitude, he is a young challenger wanting to gain respect from the champion and show the world that he is deserving to be the next world champion. His eagerness worked against him as the champion was able to counter the punches coming from Mayol.

In the fourth round, probably advised by his cornermen, Mayol began to throw the jabs and box beautifully. He was more relaxed and he was boxing smarter. In round six, he caught the champion with a power left hook to the face and the champion stumbled down with both knees on the canvas. The referee erred in calling it a slip. Mayol, robbed of a knockdown, wasn't able to capitalize. The referee by not calling it a knockdown, has given Mayol the opportunity to attack the champion that was visibly hurt by that wicked left hook. Have it been ruled a knockdown, the referee will have to count from one to ten until the champion gets up on his feet, giving him time to recover from the knockdown.

It wasn't meant to be for Mayol. He wasn't able to finish off the champion. He won the seventh round, again by outboxing the champion and by delivering the more accurate and more powerful blows. At the start of the eight, were the commentators were already applauding Mayol for his gallant effort and for leading the fight on their unofficial score cards, a disaster happened. Mayol was caught by a right straight across his jaw that was perfectly setup by a left jab. Boom! The referee need not count, Mayol was out for good in his second failed attempt to win a world championship.

It was sad for this young and brave Filipino. Will he fight again? Will he be as gallant and as eager to win? He is the only one who could tell. I hope he still fights, and bring in a hungrier heart and a more determined will to finally hold a championship title. Remember that the test of a man's true character is in the face of adversities.

FIBA and UAAP
Team Pilipinas beat China for the second time in the tournament and earned the 9th spot (out of 16 participating countries). They failed to land a spot for the 2008 Beijing Olympics but all is not lost. It's just the beginning. I hope that the PBA and the Philippine basketball officials continue to work together and regain the Philippine basketball supremacy in Asia. This is a basketball crazy nation that unfortunately seems not to be doing so good in basketball over the last two decades.

The UP Fighting Maroons dropped their seventh straight games against the FEU Tamaraws. They are now in the very bottom of the team standings with a 0-7 win-loss card. Sad, but as Ronnie Magsanoc said, it does not matter how many games you lost in the previous games, every time you play, you carry the hopes, pride and honor of your school so you've got to give it your best every time you play. Good luck UP. Win or lose, you have the support of all of the "Iskolar ng Bayan".

Extras
I will be going back to Teraoka Weigh System, Singapore this August 12. Yehey, I can earn more plus I will have more time to write as I will no longer have to travel five hours a day to work and back home. I will definitely miss the sinangag (fried rice), lumpiang shanghai and piniritong isda (fried fish) of my mother every morning.

Thanks for reading.