Rumble in Mis-Or

CAGAYAN DE ORO – There was a bit of Las Vegas at the Atrium in the Limketkai Mall here the other night as Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno gave a Mandalay Bay touch to a slam-bang boxing show that featured six undercard knockouts and Eusebio Baluarte defending his WBO Asia Pacific Youth superlightweight crown against Indonesia’s Heri Andriyanto.

The Atrium is an air-conditioned, spacious convention hall where concerts, trade exhibits, beauty pageants and major gatherings are held. It is an attachment to the popular Limketkai Mall but has a separate entrance. A unique attraction is its man-made waterfalls. A balcony to accommodate more spectators is a bonus. The lights and Bose sound system are state-of-the-art.

Last April, Moreno organized the first “Rumble in Mis-Or” and Baluarte treated the big crowd to a sensational first round disposal of Thailand’s Yai Sithsaithong to win the WBO Youth crown. The show was such a huge success that Moreno decided to stage a second edition last Wednesday, the eve of the Gold City’s fiesta.

Moreno’s passion for sports is legendary. He plays basketball thrice a week and works out in the gym on his off-days. Provincial sports director Val Rosabal, the former UST and MICAA hotshot, said when he coached Far East Bank to six straight inter-bank titles during the late Jobo Fernandez’ presidency, Moreno was the only “no-name” in the lineup that included ex-college stars Max Laurel, Max Estrada, Chito Afable, Danny Gavierrez, Tito Panlilio and Ernie de Leon.

Of course, Moreno is more known nationwide as a swashbuckling lawyer and a hero in his home province as a two-term congressman and now, a two-term governor.

Moreno went to elementary school in Balingasag, his hometown, then attended Xavier University high school here before earning a liberal arts diploma at the University of Manila and a law degree at San Beda. In 1975, Moreno passed the bar. He was a much-in-demand corporate lawyer, working for Far East Bank, Ayala International Finance, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Citibank and Ayala Corp. before winning his first term as congressman in 1998. 

Moreno made a name for himself as a prosecutor in the impeachment proceedings against former President Joseph Estrada.

As a public servant sensitive to the pulse of his constituents, Moreno gives a lot of importance to sports as a source of pride and inspiration to the people. He has recruited two-time Olympian Roberto Jalnaiz to take charge of a provincial development program for amateur boxing and Rosabal to chart a sustainable course of sports projects.

Moreno was recently elected the SBP chairman and as Misamis Oriental governor, spearheaded the formation of the provincial basketball team now qualified for the semifinals of Liga Pilipinas. Among Mis-Or’s players are Aaron Aban, Bernzon Franco, Patrick Cabahug and Egay Echavez.

“Whatever happens, we’ll give either Taguig or Iloilo a good fight in the Liga semis,” said Moreno. 

In the second “Rumble in Mis-Or,” Baluarte was back to stake his title against Andriyanto and won by a unanimous decision. The Indonesian was on survival mode from the onset, crouched in a peek-a-boo defense and repeatedly pushed his head against Baluarte’s chest to avoid getting hit. 

Baluarte, 21, tried to make a fight of it but Andriyanto refused to oblige, preferring to cover up instead of exchanging blows. Referee Reynaldo Galarpe warned Andriyanto twice to throw punches but the threat of losing points wasn’t a concern. All Andriyanto hoped for was to finish the bout on his feet.

It was a runaway decision for Baluarte who raised his record to 13-1, with five KOs.  Judge Teddy Alivio saw it 98-92, Delbert Peligrino 100-90 and Roel Densing 99-91.

The companion fights were crowd pleasers. Philippine Boxing Federation bantamweight king Eric Barcelona halted amateur standout Brix Ray with a left hook to the body at 2:34 of the third round. Rey Migreno knocked out Apol Suico with a right cross to the jaw at 0:29 of the third. Suico, whose uncle Randy is the Oriental lightweight champion, was down in the second. It looked like he hadn’t recovered from losing to Moruti Mthalane – who is scheduled to face IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire in Anaheim on Nov. 1 – on a first round knockout in South Africa last year. 

Lotlot Gaviola was behind on points when he stopped William George at 2:40 of the third in a lightweight encounter. Japanese import Naozumi Tsuchiyama sent Joy Trojillo flat on his back at 1:33 of the first round with a right hook to the jaw. Previously unbeaten Richard Pasaylo quit on his stool before the start of the fifth, conceding to Roilo Golez in a lightflyweight contest. Undefeated Mark Anthony Geraldo blasted Rey Villar into submission at 0:52 of the fifth. A right to the side of the body did the trick as referee Harry del Puerto counted to 10 with Villar writhing in pain.

The showstopper was Tsuchiyama, who lived here for two years teaching local factory workers how to speak Nihonggo. He was born with a deformed right leg and when he was three, doctors cut it off at the knee to fit a prosthetic. Because of his false leg, Tsuchiyama is banned from fighting by the Japan Boxing Commission. But the Games and Amusements Board has given him a license to fight in the country.

Tsuchiyama, 26, lives and breathes boxing. It’s his full-time profession. In Japan, he trains every day. His wife Michiko, now six months pregnant with their first child, works as a receptionist in a department store.  When his Filipino friend Leonel Lazarito is able to arrange a fight, Tsuchiyama flies over with a sponsor. So far, he has compiled a 3-1-1 record as a superlightweight.

Tsuchiyama said his dream is to win the Philippine championship. As a foreigner, he is eligible to fight for the Philippine title with a six-month residence.

 pleasers. Philippine Boxing Federation bantamweight king Eric Barcelona halted amateur standout Brix Ray with a left hook to the body at 2:34 of the third round. Rey Migreno knocked out Apol Suico with a right cross to the jaw at 0:29 of the third. Suico, whose uncle Randy is the Oriental lightweight champion, was down in the second. It looked like he hadn’t recovered from losing to Moruti Mthalane – who is scheduled to face IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire in Anaheim on Nov. 1 – on a first round knockout in South Africa last year. 

Lotlot Gaviola was behind on points when he stopped William George at 2:40 of the third in a lightweight encounter. Japanese import Naozumi Tsuchiyama sent Joy Trojillo flat on his back at 1:33 of the first round with a right hook to the jaw. Previously unbeaten Richard Pasaylo quit on his stool before the start of the fifth, conceding to Roilo Golez in a lightflyweight contest. Undefeated Mark Anthony Geraldo blasted Rey Villar into submission at 0:52 of the fifth. A right to the side of the body did the trick as referee Harry del Puerto counted to 10 with Villar writhing in pain.

The showstopper was Tsuchiyama, who lived here for two years teaching local factory workers how to speak Nihonggo. He was born with a deformed right leg and when he was three, doctors cut it off at the knee to fit a prosthetic. Because of his false leg, Tsuchiyama is banned from fighting by the Japan Boxing Commission. But the Games and Amusements Board has given him a license to fight in the country.

Tsuchiyama, 26, lives and breathes boxing. It’s his full-time profession. In Japan, he trains every day. His wife Michiko, now six months pregnant with their first child, works as a receptionist in a department store.  When his Filipino friend Leonel Lazarito is able to arrange a fight, Tsuchiyama flies over with a sponsor. So far, he has compiled a 3-1-1 record as a superlightweight.

Tsuchiyama said his dream is to win the Philippine championship. As a foreigner, he is eligible to fight for the Philippine title with a six-month residence.