Manny’s conqueror has no regrets

The only Filipino to beat world featherweight boxing champion Manny Pacquiao as a pro confessed the other day he has no regrets quitting the ring in 1997 without a centavo in the bank.

Rustico Torrecampo, 31, holds the distinction of being one of only two fighters ever to defeat Pacquiao. The other is Thailand’s Medgeon 3-K Battery who halted Pacquiao–dehydrated after trying and failing to make the 112-pound limit–to wrest the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title in Bangkok in 1999.

Torrecampo beat the undefeated Pacquiao to the draw, scoring a third round stoppage courtesy of a left hook to the jaw in Mandaluyong in 1996. Pacquiao wore eight-ounce gloves, compared to Torrecampo’s six-ouncers, for checking in overweight.

Torrecampo, the fifth of eight children, said Pacquiao’s bigger gloves softened the impact of his blows. "Hindi ganoong malakas ang kanyang suntok," noted Torrecampo whose father Escolastico, an ex-pro, was gunned down by New People’s Army rebels in Davao City in 1985. "Tanggap niya talo siya. Panahon ko ‘yon. Mainit ang kaliwa ko noon. Bilangan mo siya ng 100, hindi pa rin makaka-recover. Pinaghandaan ko siya. Alam ko, pagsuntok niya ng jab, ang susunod ay straight o upper. Hinintay ko siyang sumuntok, tapos nag-counter ako. Sapol sa panga. Laglag siya. Tinigil na lang ng referee kasi di na makatayo ng tuwid."

Known for his big punch, Torrecampo said he never scrimped on training time. He developed power, punching a 140 kilo–instead of the usual 45 kilo–heavy bag. He did 100 pushups with one hand. He lifted himself up with one hand on the chinning bar. He took on 130-pound sparmates even if he weighed only 108.

Indirectly, Torrecampo said he contributed to Pacquiao’s rise to stardom. "Kung hindi sa akin, baka hindi siya naging seryoso sa training," he continued. "Hindi niya ako hinamon ng rematch. Nagkaroon ng phobia sa akin."

Torrecampo said although he knocked out Pacquiao, he saw something special in his victim. "Malakas siya, matapang, makamay," he added. Torrecampo said he knew someday, Pacquiao would become a world champion.

After their fight, they met only once outside the ring–when Pacquiao came back from Bangkok after capturing the WBC flyweight title in 1998. They talked about their personal lives, not boxing, and wished each other luck.

Torrecampo said Marco Antonio Barrera was his idol and bet P800 on the Mexican when he faced Pacquiao in San Antonio last November. "Ngayon, idol ko na si Manny kasi tinalo niya si Barrera," said Torrecampo. "Masaya ako para sa kanya. Mapera na siya. Mapalad siya. Kung patawag niya ako, baka hindi ko mapuntahan kasi ipit ako sa pera. Sa pamasahe na lang, talo na ako. Kung bigyan niya ako ng P1,000, pwede akong mag-absent sa trabaho at puntahan ko."

Torrecampo works six days a week, 10 hours a day, at the Cathay Metal factory in Novaliches. His job is to load furnaces with metal which is made into different kinds of bars. He joined Cathay six years ago and earns P304 a day. The pay isn’t much but Torrecampo said the benefits–SSS, Medicare and Pag-Ibig–are a big help to his family.

As a pro, Torrecampo’s biggest paycheck was the P30,000 purse he pocketed from a fight in Japan. He got P6,500 for fighting Pacquiao and P17,000–his biggest local purse–in losing to Leo Ramirez in a Philippine lightflyweight title bout in General Santos City in 1996.

Torrecampo turned pro in 1993 under manager Fred Magallano. A month after beating Pacquiao, he was matched against Ricky Sales. Torrecampo floored Sales twice but hurt his left hand in the third round and coasted to a win on points. Instead of casting his fractured wrist, Torrecampo was sent to a "manghihilot" and rested a month in Palawan. Then, he was forced to fight a series of opponents supposedly under threat of suspension from Magallano despite a painful wrist.

When Torrecampo’s contract with Magallano expired in 1997, he joined the Mandaluyong stable of Mayor Ben Abalos but never fought again. He claimed no opponent relished the thought of feeling his fists of fury.

The damage in his left hand was such a handicap that Torrecampo won only once in his last six bouts. He was stopped by Archie Villamor in his final outing in 1997. His final record was 14-8-5, with seven KOs. He failed to save a centavo from his ring earnings, blowing his money on friends and "good time."

Today, there is a small bone sticking out of Torrecampo’s left wrist–obviously, the result of his fracture not healing properly.

"Malaki ang tampo ko sa boksing," he said. "Hindi ako inasikaso ng aking manager. Pinabayaan niya ako. Kanya, noong nagtrabaho na ako sa Cathay, kinalimutan ko na ang boksing."

Although retired from the ring, Torrecampo keeps in shape by jogging, shadow boxing and punching a bag in his Tondo backyard. He weighs a trim 122 pounds and shows no paunch. His muscles are more defined than they were when he fought.

Torrecampo said he watches Pacquiao’s fights on TV and sometimes, wonders if he should be in the limelight instead of his victim. "Hindi ako pinalad," he said. "Gusto ko man sa boksing, ayaw naman sa akin. Iba ang tadhana namin ni Manny. Hindi ko linya talaga ang boksing. Okay na ako sa aking trabaho."

Last Saturday, Torrecampo took a half day off from work to accompany a cousin Gerry Tayao who made his pro debut on a Fistorama card at the Joe Cantada Boxing Center in Bicutan. Alas, Tayao was decked thrice and stopped by Mercito Gista at 2:55 of the first round. Torrecampo said Tayao lost his cool in the bout and must work harder in the gym–like he used to–if he hopes to continue fighting.

Torrecampo said he’s content living a quiet life with wife Cecile Camposano and their two children, Russell Car, 5, and Carissa Rose, 4. Although boxing is a thing of his past, Torrecampo will forever be remembered as the only Filipino to beat Pacquiao.