Prayer, reflection amid Vegas glitz, glamour

We missed eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao by a few minutes as he rushed from the Pan Pacific hotel dinner tendered for him a few hours before his departure for Los Angeles to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Saturday. We were told that the dinner would be held in the Chinese restaurant of a Makati hotel so we adjusted our schedule in accordance with the earlier information given us. On our way to Makati, we were informed that the dinner was ongoing at Pan Pacific.

At any rate, had we caught Pacquiao, I would have extended the invitation of Randy P. Dizon, president of Magnificat Ventures Corporation, and a son of Cheline Papa and the late Rafael (Boy) Dizon, for the champ to inaugurate the St. Therese Mission on Sunday, May 8, the day after his World Boxing Organization (WBO) title fight with Shane Mosley. Pacquiao usually sponsors the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on the day of his fight to pray for protection and victory and the day after, in thanksgiving and gratitude no matter the outcome. Eric Pineda, one of Pacquiao’s closest advisers, suggested that St. Therese could be the perfect venue for the post-fight Mass which will be held at 1 p.m.

St. Therese Mission is indeed, in the midst of heavy gambling, entertainment and, not surprisingly bacchanalian feasts, a perfect venue for celebrating the sacraments, commemorating life’s milestones and engaging in multi-denominational religious, social and cultural events. Dedicated to St. Therese of the Child Jesus, who was declared Patroness of the Missions by Pope Pius XI, she is also known as God’s Little Flower and definitely a model of detachment from material riches.

Sitting on a 17.5 -acre (about eight hectares) property, the Mission is strategically located just outside the Las Vegas resort corridor (and MGM Grand Center, venue of the Pacquiao-Mosley bout). It is less than 20 minutes from the booming town of Pahrump, Nevada, and is adjacent to the historic Old Spanish National Historic Trail. The Trail once served as the vital trade route for caravans between New Mexico, Nevada and California. St Therese should provide Pacquiao and company rare opportunities to learn and practice the “Little Way” of St Therese of the Child Jesus against the backdrop of the rich and diverse environment of the Mojave Desert.

The presence of this Filipino-initiated Mission (a showcase of sustainable development and environmentalism) makes Las Vegas a truly exciting and fascinating venue for Pacquiao’s fights since it is synonymous with glitz and glamour that some are addicted to at the same time satisfying the need for spiritual meditation that reflective people look for.

In a related front, we’re happy to note that Antonio (Tony) Aldeguer’s ALA Promotions fighters are truly making waves in the international and local boxing scenes.

ALA Promotions was given 11 prestigious awards, including Promoter of the Year accorded ALA Promotions president/CEO Michael Aldeguer, during the recently held Elorde Banquet of Champions at the Sofitel Hotel.

WBO minimumweight world champion Donnie (Ahas) Nietes, who was one of three Boxers of the Year awardees, led the other ALA Promotions honorees during the 11th edition of this grand night of boxing that the family of the late Gabriel (Flash) Elorde and Jun Sarreal have been organizing to perpetuate the memory of the bootblack from Cebu and to honor our ring warriors.

ALA Promotions fighters Milan (El Metodico) Melindo, Rocky Fuentes, Roli Gasca, Jason Pagara and AJ (Bazooka) Banal were also given awards. Also present during the event were Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista and the now retired Z (The Dream) Gorres. Newly signed ALA fighters Rommel Asenjo, Edrin Dapudong and Lorenzo Villanueva of Manny Pinol’s Braveheart stable also got their awards during the Elorde Banquet.

According to ALA Promotions, Villanueva will have a new opponent in his debut as an ALA fighter three days from now, April 9, at the St La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City during the Pinoy Pride 5: Battle of Champions.

Villanueva will be staking his WBO Oriental featherweight title and unblemished record against James Mokoginta of Indonesia vice Tanzanian Ramandhani Shauri.

Mokoginta has a record of 15-4-1, ( 4) and has his work cut out for him against Villanueva who has knocked out all but one of his 19 opponents.

The Villanueva-Mokoginta fight will be one of the supporting bouts of the battle between Nietes and Mexican Armando Vasquez. It will be Nietes’s last fight in the 105-pound category as he plans to move up to the junior flyweight division at 108 pounds.

The slugfest will be aired on ABS-CBN Channel 2 at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, April 10 and 2 p.m., on the same day, in Studio 23. The Battle of Champions is a co-production between ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN.