End of the road for Z Gorres

MANILA, Philippines - Stricken fighter Z Gorres is miraculously on the way to recovery after losing consciousness in the ring and undergoing a two-hour surgery performed by a team of five doctors to drain blood from his skull at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas last Nov. 13.

Gorres, 27, will no longer be able to fight and his chance for a world crown in a scheduled rematch with WBO bantamweight titlist Fernando Montiel on Feb. 13 has vanished. But for his wife Datches and their four children, a championship is far from their minds. All they want for Christmas is Gorres to survive his ordeal, return home to Mandaue and live a normal life.

So far, it looks like they’ll get their wish.

Gorres is still confined in the Las Vegas hospital but he’s out of danger. In about a week, doctors expect to remove the flap on the right side of his head as swelling has completely disappeared. The flap was placed after doctors chiseled out a portion of the skull to drain the blood causing compression on the outer layer or membrane of the brain. The portion of the skull is in a bone bank and will be reinserted in Gorres’ head when he is healed.

Ironically, Gorres won the fight that led to his collapse in the ring on that fateful Friday the 13th bout at the Mandalay Bay House of Blues. He dominated Colombia’s Luis Melendez for nine rounds then in the last few seconds of the fight, was caught by a vicious left straight to the head and barely beat the count on rubbery legs. The bell saved Gorres from more punishment. Gorres was subsequently declared winner by unanimous decision and as he prepared to leave the ring, he lost consciousness. He was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and went under the knife within an hour.

ALA Boxing Gym owner Tony Aldeguer, whose son Michael is Gorres’ registered manager, arranged for the fighter’s wife to fly to Las Vegas. She has not left Gorres’ side since arriving over a month ago.

Aldeguer said the reports on Gorres’ progress are “nothing less than amazing and remarkable and most of all, inspiring.” Nearly every day, Gorres’ wife, English trainer Tony Martin and his Filipina wife Yvonne, a nurse, send e-mail updates to Aldeguer and his son.

“Z’s brain surgery has not affected his memory,” said Aldeguer. “He recognizes everyone who visits him in the hospital.”

Visitors continue to check in on Gorres and wish him well. Among the visitors have been Gerry Penalosa, Rodel Mayol, Rex (Wakee) Salud, Buboy Fernandez, Manny Pacquiao’s Argentinian cutman Miguel Diaz, Ugandan Cornelius Boza-Edwards (who lost his WBC superlightweight title to Rolando Navarrete in 1981), Dr. Allan Recto, international matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz and his wife, Top Rank matchmakers Bruce Trampler, Brad Goodman and Sean Gibbons and Top Rank trainer Richie Sandoval.

“Z is no longer in the respiratory and breathes on his own,” Aldeguer went on. “He is now eating solid food and has started to talk but in whispers. It is only his left side that still needs to recover. He can now move his left arm but very slowly as with his left leg. Those are the parts of his body that need to be monitored closely as he progresses to recover.”

Aldeguer said his son Michael is in close touch with Tamara Greene, the medical social worker assigned to coordinate Gorres’ discharge planning.

Martin, who lived several years in Cebu and now works as a personal trainer and boxing cutman in Las Vegas, said Gorres has shown “a real fighter’s courage in the true sense of the meaning” in his remarkable recovery.

“Doctors, nurses and all the people involved have been first class,” said Martin. “Let’s not forget Datches who has shown a tremendous strength being by her husband every day for at least eight hours a day, tending to all his needs, showing him the love and care when most needed. I know how much she is missing their children. In my book, she is a diamond.”

The Gorres couple has four children – Dheybert, 7, Sheiladhey, 5, Zhey, 3, and Khodhey, six months old.

“Z’s right side is perfect and gaining strength every day,” noted Martin. “In fact, the grip in his right hand is very strong now. His left side is starting to respond. He moves his arm and can now hold my hand with his left hand with slight pressure. His left leg is slowly responding with slight movement. He is breathing on his own and eating solid hospital food. He talks to us but only whispers. His memory is excellent, recognizing each and every one who visits him. His mind is sharp, no problem there. He smiles and jokes a lot with me and Datches. No words can describe the joy it can give you, just to see that.”

Martin said no release date has been mentioned. “This will only happen once all is well with Z and is fit to travel,” he added.