VP lauds Pinoy pug’s courage

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay said Filipino fighters, no matter their size, are among the world’s best because they’re courageous and talented, pointing as an example to newly crowned IBO superflyweight champion Edrin Dapudong who paid a courtesy call on the country’s second highest public official at the Coconut Palace the other day.

Dapudong was received by Binay with his manager, former North Cotabato Gov. Manny Piñol, and sportsman Hermie Esguerra. Also present were Dennis Canete of ALA Boxing, Ring Magazine writer Ryan Songalia and GMA 7’s Chino Trinidad.

“Magaling at matapang, that’s why our Filipino fighters become world champions,” said Binay who watched the video showing Dapudong’s first round knockout win over Gideon Buthelezi for the IBO crown during the courtesy call. Binay mentioned the possibility of Dapudong performing at the Makati Coliseum.

Discussing plans on how to develop more champions, Binay said he supports the concept of establishing a boxing academy. He said including boxing in the Palarong Pambansa is a positive step towards discovering future talents. Binay welcomed the idea of Dapudong setting up camp in Esguerra’s gym in Lipa, Batangas where the fighter can focus on training for his next fight, possibly against former IBF/IBO minimumweight titlist Nkosinathui Joyi in South Africa tentatively on Aug. 31.

Piñol told Binay that Dapudong is the first North Cotabato native to capture a world title and the first Filipino to win a world championship bout in South Africa after 24 straight failures dating back to 1994. “He’s also the first world champion to emerge from the grassroots program we started in North Cotabato over 10 years ago,” said Piñol. “This is the realization of our vision. When we began this program, we didn’t do it just for love of the sport. We did it also because we wanted to develop world champions who could bring honor to our country, whom we could be proud of.”

Pinoy, who fondly calls Dapudong “Bungis” because he was a giggler as a boy, said the fighter prepared four months for the rematch with Buthelezi. Last November, Dapudong lost a disputed split 12-round decision to Buthelezi for the vacant IBO throne in South Africa. He decked Buthelezi once and appeared to have done enough to win but American judge Michael Pernick scored it 115-113 and South African judge Tony Nyangiwe 115-112 for the hometowner. The dissenting vote came from British judge Reg Thompson who saw it 114-113 for the Filipino.

“Bungis began training last January because the fight was originally scheduled in February,” said Piñol who introduced Dapudong to boxing when he was 12. “Aljoe Jaro supervised his training in Binangonan. When the fight was finally set, Aljoe couldn’t go to South Africa as he had to attend to his fighter Denver Cuello. Luckily, a good friend Jeff De Guzman, a physical therapist, was in town from Los Angeles where he lives and was available to accompany Bungis to Johannesburg. I joined them a day later.”

A week before the fight, De Guzman phoned his friend Angel (Memo) Heredia for advice on how to prepare Dapudong from a nutritional standpoint. Heredia, a strength and conditioning coach in the US, was credited for transforming Juan Manuel Marquez into a power machine for his fourth fight against Manny Pacquiao last December. De Guzman consulted Heredia daily on Dapudong’s diet. Heredia, a US state witness in the case against Victor Conte for using boutique performance enhancing drugs on athletes, advised Dapudong to go easy on his food intake after the weigh-in and cautioned him from indulging before climbing the ring to avoid feeling heavy and sluggish.

“Bungis weighed in at 114.2,” said Piñol. “We used hydralytes, not energy drinks, to rehydrate and made sure Bungis wouldn’t gain over eight pounds when entering the ring. He came in at 121 and felt strong. From 12 noon to 6 p.m. on the day of the fight, he took a bite from an apple every hour. Right after the weigh-in, we went for soft food like ice cream and chocolate cake. We didn’t want to shock his body system by introducing heavy stuff immediately.”

Dapudong, 26, was in fine form for the bout. From the onset, he attacked Buthelezi’s body, throwing lefts and rights to the midsection and sides. Buthelezi, a southpaw, was quick on his feet and threw the right jab to set up his left straight. With less than a minute to go in the first round, Dapudong whacked Buthelezi’s side of the body with a vicious left hook. Buthelezi countered with a right and as he recoiled, Dapudong unleashed a short left hook that landed squarely on his jaw. Buthelezi went down face first. American referee Robert Byrd stopped the count at six as Buthelezi, desperately trying to stand, was in no condition to continue.