Battle of Bataan

If you ask international matchmaker and promoter Lope (Jun) Sarreal, Jr. his age, he’ll just smile at you and wink. Nobody reveals his trade secret. Jun looks a lot younger than he is so it’s unlikely you’ll come up with a guess that’s within range.

But Jun will confess that he’s been involved in boxing since he was a 10-year-old toddler watching the likes of Tirso del Rosario busting beaks at the Tenejeros gym in Santa Ana with his father, the fabled dealmaker known the world over as Papa. And if Jun says his association with the fight game dates back to 50 years, you figure out how old he is.

Jun is a legend in fistic circles like his father and his brother-in-law, the late world junior lightweight champion Gabriel (Flash) Elorde. After graduating from high school at Far Eastern University in 1956, he studied at Sofia University and lived 10 years in Japan. Jun also spent two years zipping in and out of the US, Cuba, Venezuela, and other countries in the Americas as he coordinated fights for his father. That’s why Jun speaks a lot of languages fluently – an asset in negotiating deals with Japanese and Spanish boxing shakers.

Papa paved the way for Jun to establish his own identity as a promoter. He was closely associated with the late Japanese impresario Akira Honda whose son Akihiko is considered the most influential boxing mogul in Asia today. He booked the Tokyo Follies and brought in the reigning Miss World from Japan to appear at the Araneta Coliseum in 1960. He negotiated world title fights for Khaosai Galaxy, Tacy Macalos, Jonathan Peñalosa and Bernabe Villacampo. He promoted world championship bouts involving Ben Villaflor and Erbito Salavarria. He backed up Papa in clinching deals for Elorde. He did the spadework for the "Thrilla In Manila" in 1975. And he remains active in ring affairs, both here and abroad.

While Jun has had his ups in boxing, he’s had his downs, too. He had a run-in with the late Games and Amusements Board (GAB) chairman Jun Montano and the ugly dispute led to the suspension of his weekly TV boxing show. Jun refused to renew his GAB license as promoter for five years because of the spat. In 1972, Jun got back his license. He again refused to renew his license during GAB chairman Dominador Cepeda’s term because of another dispute, this time involving the suspension of a fighter.

But it’ll take more than quarrels and squabbles for Jun to disengage from boxing which will forever be close to his heart. Boxing is in the Sarreal blood. It’s what makes Jun tick.

Last year, Jun renewed his promoter’s license and produced the "KO" series for ABS-CBN.

And tomorrow, Jun is celebrating his return to promoting big-time boxing via a 68-round blockbuster bill, dubbed "Battle of Bataan," at the People’s Coliseum in Balanga.

Bataan Gov. Ding Roman is hosting the 5 p.m. hostilities with International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao and World Boxing Council (WBC) International superflyweight titlist Gerry Peñalosa as special guests.

Headlining the card is Philippine superbantamweight ruler Dino Olivetti’s title defense against No. 2 contender Roberto Oyan in a 12-rounder. Also in the bill is a Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) junior lightweight championship bout between unbeaten Ranee Ganoy and Pacquiao’s brother Bobby. GAB physician Dr. Nasser Cruz told The STAR yesterday if Bobby fails to test negative in a second hepatitis exam, Edward Escriber will face Ganoy instead. Another PBF title fight is in the card – Jun Longakit versus Joebar Damosmog for the lightweight diadem.

The fights should be humdingers. Ganoy, 22, boasts a 9-0-2 record, with six KOs, and is fresh from a sensational first round stoppage of veteran Arman Molina. Olivetti, whose brother Tiger Ari is fighting for the International Boxing Organization (IBO) superfeatherweight crown in South Africa on April 17, is a crowd pleaser in the family tradition. Damosmog is a rugged bell-to-bell slugger who’s a fighting machine without a reverse gear.

Jun couldn’t have picked a more appropriate battlefield for his comeback card.