Million dollar fighter

Not too many movie-goers know that the despicable rule-breaker in the Oscar-winning film "Million Dollar Baby" was a real-life fighter.

Lucia Rijker, 37, played the role of defending world boxing champion Billie The Blue Bear, a former East German prostitute who fought Maggie Fitzgerald (Hillary Swank) in the highlight of this year’s Best Picture.

Maggie should’ve won the bout via disqualification because Billie sent her to the canvas after the bell rang. The referee had his back turned when Billie unleashed the sucker punch, sending Maggie down in her corner. Maggie’s manager and trainer Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) had already brought out the stool for the one-minute rest between rounds when she crashed. He wasn’t quick enough to remove the stool which her head struck on the way down. She lost consciousness, was rushed to the hospital and later died in a nursing home after Dunn resorted to euthanasia.

It was mentioned in the movie that Maggie lost the fight to Billie. That only proved the story was pure fiction. No way a fighter can lose a fight that way in real life. Maggie should’ve been declared the new champion and Billie, disqualified.

Why the producers didn’t make Maggie the champion is a mystery. The twist would’ve made the story a little more melodramatic and ironic. Maybe, the producers just wanted to make life a little more miserable for Maggie to punctuate the tear-jerker.

As for Rijker, she stands to become a real million dollar baby if she beats Christy (The Coalminer’s Daughter) Martin at the Staples Center on July 9 in a much-awaited showdown. Both fighters are guaranteed a $250,000 purse with the winner to receive a $750,000 bonus.

Rijker, whose nicknames include "Lady Ali" and "Queen of Lightning," boasts a 17-0 record with 14 knockouts. The Dutch native took up judo at the age of six and dabbled in softball and fencing before turning to kickboxing. She compiled a 36-0 record with 25 knockouts as a kickboxer then turned pro in 1996.

In 1994, Rijker suffered her only loss as an amateur or pro. She was knocked out in the second round of a kickboxing exhibition in Amsterdam. Her tormentor was a Thai male fighter Somchai Jaidee. Luckily, Rijker escaped without a serious injury.

The 5-6 Rijker made her silver screen debut in the 2002 film "Rollerball." She worked only two weeks to film her part in the "Million Dollar Baby."

Rijker has challenged Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila to a catchweight duel but so far, no contract has been signed. Ali said the fight wouldn’t prove a thing because she’s a supermiddleweight and Rijker, a junior welterweight. Rijker, however, couldn’t care less. She’s been after Ali for years. Ali is widely regarded as the world’s most popular female fighter.

Speaking of Swank, the two-time Oscar Best Actress winner was in the news in New Zealand for bringing in "forbidden fruit" during a recent visit. She was fined $200 and made to pay an additional $30 in court expenses for trying to smuggle an apple and an orange in her suitcase.

Swank said her husband Chad Lowe, brother of actor Rob, packed the fruits in her bag and she forgot to declare them before clearing customs. She wrote a handwritten note to the district court apologizing for the misdeclaration. "After a 20-hour flight, I simply forgot I had one orange and one apple."

Runner Rio de la Cruz and I also took 20 hours to fly from Manila to Queenstown via Singapore and Auckland last week. We had no fruits to declare.

Rio placed sixth in the New Balance Queenstown half-marathon and won a $220 gift package.

Postscript: Theraplay Inc. opened its doors to the public last April 4. The therapy clinic is operated by a group of young professionals including Anna Garcia who happens to be Atlas Sports Magazine editor Dulce’s sister. Theraplay is located on the third floor of the FC Building, No. 288 Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City. Therapy services are offered to children with special needs (Down’s syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, etc.). For inquiries, call Tel. 411-5288 or 0918-5365685 and ask for Anna.