Ric Fortaleza's undying mission

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental -– Ricardo “Ric” Fortaleza is a long way from Sydney, Australia, where he is now based. But when you hear him talk, he has never really been far from home. And he has a burning, unfulfilled goal he wishes to fulfill for his country: an Olympic gold medal in boxing.

Ric was one of the four famous Fortaleza brothers who ruled amateur boxing from the late 1960’s to late 1970’s. His youngest brother Roger rose to secretary-general of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines under former president Manny Lopez, and is now supervising the technical side of officiating and judging ABAP operations.

As a bantamweight, Ric won a gold medal in the first Asian Youth Championships in Tokyo, and followed up with the succeeding Asian Games in Bangkok. He was also Philippine National Games champion five years running. However, the Munich Olympian still has a mission unaccomplished from when he was a fresh-faced 21-year old on the world’s biggest stage.

“In 1972, I missed out on a medal. And I hope to help win one in my lifetime,” vows Fortaleza, who coached Roel Velasco to bronze in Barcelona 20 years later. “I can’t get it out of my mind, ever since.”

After being named amateur boxer of the year three years in a row and then hanging up his gloves in the mid-1970s, Fortaleza concentrated on coaching and advancing his knowledge of the sport. In 1986, he introduced amateur boxing in Oman, helping its team qualify for the Seoul Olympics, where he witnessed another countryman, Leopoldo Serrantes, come within whiffing distance of his own gold medal dream.

Thanks to the results he attained in Oman, Fortaleza was recruited to coach at the Taiwan College of Physical Education where, despite the language barrier, he was instrumental in upgrading the sport there. In 2000, he migrated to Australia to be with his daughter. Unable to stay away from the sport, he teaches boxing in Blacktown in New South Wales, and was a volunteer at the boxing tournament of the Sydney Olympics.

“I believe that Filipinos can win gold medals in boxing, especially now with the new leadership in the sport,” said Fortaleza, now sporting a belly and a streak of gray hair atop his forehead, adding more dignity to a face that has seen its share of fistic wars.

I saw Fortaleza’s passion flare firsthand at the AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships in Chicago in October of 2007, which he went to at his own expense. Despite the long odds and very few Filipinos in the crowd, Fortaleza’s voice could be heard screaming above the din each time Filipinos fought. Soon, he was joined by Filipinos who lived in Chicago, mostly police officers and postmen. He was despondent in their defeat, and lifted up by Harry Tañamor’s qualifying for Beijing.

“It was sad to see us waste the opportunity, because we had the support of the Philippine Sports Commission and Smart,” Fortaleza recalls. “Our boys were also tired from the trip, because they arrived too close to the event.”

The former champion made the long trip to Blacktown to Bacolod towing Robin Palileo, a 16-year-old Filipino-Australian pug he has been training. Palileo surprised the field with an RSC (Referee-Stopped COntest - Outclassed) early in the competition. He eventually claimed the national featherweight title by overwhelming North Cotabato’s Arnel Gepollano, 16-2.

“I’m happy I participated here. It was a great experience,” said Palileo.

It was just a sample of what passionate and dedicated coaching can accomplish.

“I’m offering my services to the ABAP, here or in Sydney. If they need me, I am here for the country,” Fortaleza reiterated.

ABAP president Ricky Vargas concurred that we need more Fil-foreign boxers, especially in higher weight divisions. International scouting is one of the innovations ABAP is going to push.

And if there is any Olympic gold to be found out there, Ric Fortaleza is determined to find it, or die trying.