Sagrado, Aussie in grudge match

An Australian boxer, who caused damage to local promoters and paying fans, comes back to "make amends" when he fights Filipino challenger Fernando Sagrado in "The War at the Casino" June 15 at the Casino Filipino Amphitheater in Parañaque City.

Jeff Malcolm, interim holder of the WBA Pan Asia welterweight title, is finally coming back to Manila to complete an "unfinished business" with Sagrado in a bout which was originally scheduled two years ago, in August 2000.

The bout is part of a three-in-one championship card sponsored by PAGCOR, PCSO, Family Rubbing Alcohol, San Miguel Beer, Dept. of Tourism and Heritage Hotel and promoted by Johnny Elorde.

Elorde said Malcolm arrived two years ago for their scheduled title bout but the Australian, for reasons not known until now, flew back home to Australia on the day of the weigh-in.

"When he came here two years ago, we went to the airport to fetch him. He preferred to stay in another hotel where there were lots of Australians," recalled Liza Elorde, wife of Johnny Elorde.

"He even went to the press conference, answered questions from the press and made us believe he was all set for the fight. Only to find out day before the fight that he already sneaked out of the country.

That was the last time they heard from the Australian, who, the promoters suspected, was way above the 147 lb. limit and had to make some excuses to avoid disqualification under WBA rules.

The no-show prompted the Elordes to file an action in court against Malcolm and his promoters and wrote all promoters who had fight contracts with Malcolm not to honor the commitments because of the pending court case.

The "War at The Casino" thus brings back the two protagonists, but Sagrado, whose career was virtually also on hold because of the ban on Malcom, says he’s all out to finish off his opponent and make sure he wins the Pan Asia crown that remained undisputed the last one and half years.

Two other equally explosive bouts pit Dennis Laurente in a title defense of his OPBF lightweight crown against Indonesia’s Ferdinan, and Bobby Pacquiao, IBF world champion Manny Pacquiao’s younger brother, against Renato Inal of the Elorde stable.

Tickets at P200, 300, 500, 1000, and 2000 are available at the Elorde Sports Center at tel. nos. 8209543; 8264463; 8254644; 8254643.