A tradition to uphold

In 1960, fight expert Zacarias (Taby) Tabaniag and popular broadcaster Smokin’ Joe Cantada hosted the inaugural card of a boxing show called "Fistorama" on prime time TV. The program became a huge success and was known for its quality bouts.

"Fistorama" spawned the likes of world champions Roberto Cruz, Erbito Salavarria, and Pedro Adigue. It was the breeding grounds for future titlists. Any fighter worth his salt had to survive "Fistorama" before moving on to higher ground. "Fistorama" was where you separated the men from the boys.

For 25 years, "Fistorama" reigned supreme as the country’s No. 1 boxing show. Taby and Smokin’ Joe took care of dishing out expert commentary week after week. Some fans thought more highly of "Fistorama" champions than Philippine titlists. That’s because of the show’s unsullied reputation as a purveyor of evenly-matched action featuring only the best and brightest in the beakbusting business.

When the late Flash Elorde died in 1985, "Fistorama" made its curtain call. Taby bowed out of boxing and switched to golf. Smokin’ Joe continued to do sports broadcasting–he was an icon in the industry–until his death in 1992.

Two years ago, Smokin’ Joe’s brother Edgardo, or Boy, opened a brand-new sports complex in Bicutan, just off the South Expressway’s first exit from Nichols. It had facilities for basketball, boxing, golf, shooting, and volleyball.

Boy dedicated the basketball court to his late father, Don Ambrosio, and the boxing arena to Smokin’ Joe. He bought the Araneta Coliseum’s Robbins hardcourt, only a few months old, and Porter hoops, just like the Los Angeles Lakers’ goals at the Staples Center, to equip the Don Ambrosio basketball stadium. He imported a collapsible ring and top-of-the-line gear from Everlast for the Joe Cantada Boxing Arena.

In April last year, Boy relaunched "Fistorama" after a 17-year hiatus. He tapped Smokin’ Joe’s original partner Taby–now 83–to return to the coverage panel as a color commentator.

Boy’s goal in bringing back "Fistorama" on the tube wasn’t to make money. He only wanted to continue what his brother Smokin’ Joe started. Call it a family legacy–a tradition to uphold. Boy said the family just wanted to do its part in developing the sport that Smokin’ Joe loved with a passion.

So once a month, Boy promotes a "Fistorama" card which is shown on a staggered basis for an hour every Sunday at 12 noon on RPN-9. It’s free to the public–another Cantada commitment-and the fights are humdingers. Boy refuses to take a cut on his fighters’ purses and does away with third-party matchmakers so the boxers don’t shave a slice of their fees. His resident trainer Tony Jumao-as arranges the matches without charging a fee. Boy compensates Tony to make sure the fights aren’t one-sided. As a result, the quality of the matches is guaranteed.

Boy pays top money for the fighters who perform on "Fistorama." That’s why fighters from all over the archipelago queue for the chance to appear on his show–they know they get a fair shake and they’re paid fair.

Last week, the revived "Fistorama" celebrated its first anniversary. An overflow crowd packed the Cantada complex. Boy didn’t only prepare a 10-fight card but also hired the riotous "Ang Tatlong Pinoy" to entertain the fans and the "Fistorama" Angels to sing, dance, gyrate, and act as round girls.

Samsung Electronics president Sang Youl Eom was at the complex to watch the fights. He’s a sports fan through and through. In a conversation, Sang said he’s an 18-handicap golfer and proved his mettle as a sports buff by rattling off the names of South Korea’s greatest professional boxers ever, starting with former world junior middleweight champion Kim Ki Soo.

Sang said it is Samsung Electronics’ commitment to assist in the upliftment of Philippine sports as a way of giving back to the Filipino people. Samsung Electronics supported the Philippines’ participation in the recent Asian Games in Busan and is the presentor of the Philippine Basketball Association All-Filipino Cup this season.

Sang and Boy share a common interest in selflessly devoting themselves to sports development.

To mark the milestone, Boy did something special on the anniversary show. He staged a Philippine championship fight. Taby said it was a first in the show’s history dating back to 1960.

Philippine minimumweight champion Rodel Mayol pounded out a unanimous 12-round decision over No. 1 contender Isidro Lorona to retain his title in the main event. In other fights, Yuki Murayama’s hard-hitting bantamweight Joven Jorda halted once-promising Rolando Gerongco at 2:01 of the sixth round, Pablo (Boy) Guevara scored a unanimous 10-round verdict over former Philippine flyweight champion Flash Murillo and bantamweights Roberto Moreno and Rogelio Pineda battled to a second round technical draw after both fighters suffered a knockdown apiece.

In a four-rounder, Oriental champion Randy Suico’s nephew Benedict stole the thunder from the big names on the card by knocking out George Diaz at 0:39 of the third.

As usual, the entire Cantada family was present to host the affair. Boy and his wife Tonette were there with their children Gerard and Therese. What binds the family together, of course, is a common love for sports. Boy was once the San Sebastian College basketball team manager. Tonette is a twice-a-week bowler at Club Filipino. Gerard, a golfer, and Therese, a shooter, are both Southeast Asian Gamers.

Boy said his next project is to build a permanent beach volleyball court beside the complex. He’s also toying with the idea of constructing a cockpit.

As I once wrote, the Cantada family’s love affair with sports is a story that warms the heart. The multi-million peso Cantada Sports Center and the revival of "Fistorama" are proof of that love.