The biggest story of Cebu boxing

The Pinoy Pride series has allowed the fight fans in this part of the world to enjoy watching good fights in venues where you don’t have to feel very sweaty or filthy when you head out of the arena.

The series of promotions pitting Filipino boxers with those from other countries caught the fancy of both fight fans and those who are just starting to appreciate boxing.

ALA Promotions, which gave boxing a huge boost early in my career as a sports journalist has done it again with the Pinoy Pride Series.

While Manny Pacquiao’s multi-million dollar bouts in the United States have brought our nation together, the Pinoy Pride series has given the boxing fans a chance to watch live bouts a get the feel of what it is to be inside a boxing arena.

One of my closest friends from high school, Dr. Vicente B. Avanzado, Jr. and I often bump into each other during the promotions that we would automatically find ourselves in the same coffee shop after the last bout. We don’t only trade stories about our younger days, but also about the sport that we have a lot of interest in.

This coming 2012, I’m sure the fight fans look forward to the continuation of the Pinoy Pride series.

Pacquiao’s ring exploits may have hogged the headlines internationally, but for me, the Pinoy Pride series is the biggest story of local boxing for 2011.

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Baseball in Cebu had a major league boost this year.

No less than Major League star Ken Griffey, Jr. came to Cebu to share his knowledge about America’s favorite pastime to the Cebuanos.

His visit to Cebu somehow helped boost the interest in batted sports, which a few years ago, was considered as almost dead by many.

The visit of Griffey was followed by another clinic hosted by the US Embassy.

While the sport hasn’t really taken off big time in 2011, the groundwork has been laid down and if we can only open up more playing fields in 2012, batted sports would become more popular in Cebu.

While many of our players are looking forward to playing in the commercial or professional leagues in basketball, a tall Pinoy player can only dream of making it to the NBA.

In contrast, an average sized Filipino can slug it out with the best players of the world in Major League Baseball. We just need to develop our players and give them the right break starting with the little league ranks.

One individual, who has done much for baseball in Cebu is Jesse Bernad of Fastball. I hope he gets more support for 2012 as I believe we got a very good chance of seeing one of our boys in the MLB someday.

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MILESTONES: Happy birthday greetings go to Banat News sports editor Yoyo Abayan, designer Anthony Romoff, my comare Chuchi Rivera, Stephanie Patuasi-Pelaez, Carol Calipusan, Julie Ouano-Haglund, and to Honesto ‘Siakoy’ Hsia, who are all turning a year older today.

Advance greetings go to one of my best buddies from our town of Minglanilla, Councilor Robert John ‘Jojo’ Selma, who turns a year older tomorrow. The same goes to Riza Lyn Nellas, Rezza Boy Omega, and Dr. Ron del Mar.

More power to all of you!

I would also like to request our pious readers to say a prayer for the soul of my late grandfather Cipriano Rosal Quiñones, Sr., whose birth anniversary we will celebrate tomorrow.