Vernie Torres of Digos, Davao del Sur, pounded out a unanimous 12-round decision over Genaro Garcia of Puebla, Mexico, to capture the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental junior bantamweight title at the Grand Theater Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, last Saturday.
It was Torres' fifth win in six fights since transplanting to Pensacola, Florida, with trainer Ben Delgado and adviser Jimmy Zuno a year ago. His overall record is 18-2, with 11 knockouts.
Zuno reported the news of Torres' triumph in a long distance call to The STAR the other day. Then, Torres and Delgado phoned yesterday from Pensacola to talk about their future plans.
Torres, 25, relinquished the Philippine 115-pound crown to campaign in the US. San Francisco-based lawyer Sydney Hall brought Torres, Delgado, and Zuno to world lightheavyweight champion Roy Jones' camp in Pensacola in February last year. Former World Boxing Council (WBC) superflyweight titlist Gerry Peñalosa and his brothers Dodie Boy and Carl, Jr. were also in the group. The Peñalosas returned home last August.
Torres said Jones was at ringside when he thrashed Garcia. "Happy naman si Roy sa aking panalo," continued Torres. "Sabi niya, pwede akong mag-bakasyon ng ilang liggong sa atin." He plans a two to three-week vacation here next month.
Zuno said Torres weighed only 111 pounds -- four under the limit -- for the Garcia fight. Jones' promoter Murad Muhammad noticed Torres was underweight and commented that he might consider fighting in the flyweight division, too.
Torres is expected to defend his WBO crown within 90 to 120 days but told The STAR he's willing to give up the throne for the chance to face WBC ruler In Joo Cho. "Kaya kong patulugin si Cho - siya ang hinahanap ko," said Torres, adding that he'd like to avenge Peñalosa's two disputed losses to the Korean.
Torres' purse for the Garcia fight was $3,000. A month before, he was paid $2,500 for knocking out Eduardo Manzano of Mexico in a single round at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Torres said he's lonely for a girlfriend but hasn't found anyone yet. No Americans for him, only Filipinas, he qualified.
According to Zuno, Torres has become a hot favorite among Filipino migrants in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, New Orleans, and Mississippi. Over 500 Filipinos watched Torres in action last Saturday and were the largest ethnic group in the 1,800 capacity crowd.
Zuno related that Torres has become such a popular figure in town, the policeman who recently flagged him down for speeding would've let him go without a ticket if only the radar detector didn't activate. Torres, incidentally, drives a second-hand Mitsubishi pick-up he bought for $1,250.
Zuno said it's a big sacrifice to leave his wife and three children in Manila. Since leaving home, he's been back only once -- for a 10-day visit last April. Zuno's US visa expired last Dec. 10 but it's in the process of being renewed. He makes a living doing odd jobs, like painting homes and laying out carpets. Work never runs out in Pensacola where there are two US Navy bases -- an air station (home of the famed Blue Angels) and a technical training center.
Delgado, 63, left behind his wife Narcisa, 58, their six children (youngest Mutya, 16, is a third year high school student in Davao), and five grandchildren -- all of whom he misses terribly -- to take care of Torres in Pensacola.
As a pro, Delgado logged 29 fights, losing nine, from 1956 to 1963. He finished only up to second year at the University of the Visayas before becoming a full-time trainor in 1965. Among his wards were ex-WBC lightflyweight champion Rolando Pascua, former Philippine lightweight king Dary Boy Caballes, Conrado (Boy) Vasquez, Rey Naduma, and Jun Pepito.
Delgado pockets 10 percent of Torres' purses and earns extra money cleaning up Jones' gym. He regularly sends money to his family in Argao.
Delgado said he's looking forward to training more Filipino fighters in Pensacola. Expected to arrive in a few days is Philippine junior middleweight champion Jerry Balagbagan, penciled to meet Hector Camacho in Beijing on April 22. Another Filipino fixing to join Delgado in Jones' camp is junior lightweight Fernando Montilla.
Torres' US visa expired last Feb. 10 but Jones' lawyers Fred and Stan Levin are working for a three-year extension. He recently inked a 3-year contract to fight under Square Ring, the Jones promotional company managed by the Levins. Zuno said he felt Torres was under the gun when he agreed to the contract because of his expired visa. The contract stipulated a 33.3 percent share of his purses for Square Ring, no signing bonus, and no living allowance (most Jones fighters receive at least $1,000 a month). Torres didn't consult Zuno or Hall before signing the pact.
As for his future opponents, Torres said he's ready to face anybody -- Cho, WBO junior bantamweight titleholder Adonis Rivas of Nicaragua or even World Boxing Association bantamweight king Paulie Ayala.
"Walang kaba yung bata, walang takot kanino man," said Zuno. "Sanay na sa lamig. Laging handang lumaban, palaging nasa-kondisyon. Sa tingin ko, malayo ang mararating ni Vernie."