Source: Philippine Star
Air21 and Talk n Text closed a trade deal involving five players as soon as the PBA board, in a meeting yesterday, lifted the trade restrictions between the two teams.

Yancy de Ocampo and Renren Ritualo, FedEx’s prized draft acquisitions in 2002, rejoined the original team while JR Quinahan, Mark Yee and Aaron Aban went to Talk n Text.

This developed as the Lina Group decided to field back Air21 in favor of Burger King, a food chain partly owned by Talk n Text top bossman Manny Pangilinan.

Air21 and Talk n Text, thus, have been re-classified as two teams independent from one another.

De Ocampo and Ritualo, the No. 1 and No. 8 picks in the 2002 Rookie Draft, moved back to Air21 after helping Talk n Text win a second championship in the Philippine Cup last year.

De Ocampo, a 6-foot-8 center out of St. Francis of Assisi College, played five seasons with Talk n Text, having his most productive year in the 2006-07 campaign where he averaged 9.4 points a game.

Ritualo, meanwhile, had been with Talk n Text in the last four and a half seasons. He’d been TnT’s biggest outside threat until the arrival of former La Salle teammate Macmac Cardona.

Talk n Text gave up De Ocampo and Ritualo in exchange for Quinahan, Yee and Aban who are all young hard-nosed players.

Yee, an acquisition from Liga Pilipinas becoming the first player ever from San Sebastian-Cavite to make the PBA, is only in his second year in the majors.

Quinahan, from University of Visayas, is a third-year pro while Aban, from Letran, is in his fourth year.

Smart Gilas to field full team on March 4, 5 provincial stop

Source: Sunstar.com.ph
The Smart-Gilas Pilipinas National squad will be coming in full force for its first provincial tour stop here on March 4 and 5.

The Gilas is expected to arrive at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport before noon on March 4 and will leave for Manila on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Cebu will witness the progress of Gilas since they displayed their wares last year.

Team

The 12-man team includes University of the Visayas Green Lancers giant Gregory Slaughter, last year’s PBA No.1 pick Japeth Aguilar, team captain Chris Tiu, Dylan Ababou, Fil-Am Marcio Lassiter, Magi Sison, Rafael Jazul, JR Cawaling, JV Casio, Mark Barroca, Mar Baracael and Jason Ballesteros.

Coach Rajko Toroman, along with his coaching staff Ed Cordero, Allan Gregorio, D’Jalma Arnedo, Jude Roque, Jimbo Saret, Albert Rolle and Andro Ampo complete the cast of the National squad.

At 5 p.m., the first of the two-game exhibition matches against the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños will be held at the Cebu Coliseum.

Redemption

Fresh from its third place finish at the tough 21st Dubai International Basketball tournament, the Gilas who will be the country’s representative to the November Asian Games in China, is seeking redemption from its loss last year to the Niños.

Aside from the two exhibition matches with the Niños, Gilas will also conduct a series of basketball related events such as a coaching clinic and actual viewing of the Gilas in scrimmage. (RCM)

Rodel Mayol vs. Omar Nino Romero Ruled a Technical Draw

Source: Boxingscene
At the Coliseo Olimpico de la UG in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Omar Nino Romero (28-3, 11KOs) and Rodel Mayol (26-4, 20KOs) fought to a three round technical draw. Mayol keeps his WBC junior flyweight title.

The ending was very controversial and the announcers, at first, called Romero the winner by TKO.

Nino did well in the first round as the two boxed. In the second, Mayol was landing some heavy punches that put Nino in trouble. Nino began to throw back some big punches to send the crowd into a frenzy. They traded punches with Mayol getting the better of the action.

During the third, there was a weird situation where Mayol got hit with a low blow and the ref was coming in to pull Nino back during the finish. When Rodel got hit with the low blow, he dropped his hands in pain and Nino stepped on his foot and hit him with a left hook that knocked him out cold.

As Nino was throwing that hook, the ref was trying to pull him back to warn him for the low blow - or at least that's what the replay showed. A very controversial ending. Mayol was taken out on a stretcher.

(Video) Wilfredo Vazquez KOs Marvin Sonsona in 4th

Source: Philboxing.com
Former WBO super flyweight champion “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona was knocked out in the fourth round by Wilfredo Vazquez Jr at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico and with the crushing defeat went his quest to win two world titles within a span of six months.

With the smashing victory Vazquez Jr not only won the WBO super bantamweight title he also created history by joining his illustrious father Wilfredo Vazquez to become the first father-and-son tandem from Puerto Rico to win world titles.


With the win Vazquez Jr. improved to 18-0-1 with 15 knockouts and inflicted the first knockout of Sonsona who dropped to 14-1-1 with 12 knockouts.

Sonsona who won the WBO super flyweight title with a rousing twelve round decision over Puerto Rican champion Jose “Carita” Lopez at Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada last September lost the crown on the scales when he failed to make the weight in his frst title defense against Alejandro Hernandez at the same venue last November.
Sonsona’s handlers led by Filipino promoter Sammy Gello-ani, international matchmaker and promoter Sampson Lewkowicz and trainer Nonito Donaire Sr decided to have Sonsona move up two weight divisions to super bantamweight.

Prior to his departure for the US to begin training at the Kennel Boxing Gym on the outskirts of San Francisco, Sonsona was making it difficult and delayed his departure. It was only after Gello-ani went to his hometown of General Santos City and accompanied him to Manila that he caught a flight to the US along with Donaire Sr and Ciso “Kid Terrible” Morales who also lost in his WBO bantamweight title bid getting knocked out in the first round by Fernando Montiel in Las Vegas last February 13.

Both fighters started off cautiously although Sonsona appeared to have a slight edge in the opening round..

The action picked up in round two as both Vazquez Jr and Sonsona began to throw more punches with Vazquez Jr counter-punching effectively against the lanky Filipino southpaw and ending the round with some solid shots and opening up a cut under Sonsona’s left eye.

Sonsona, fired up by the cut, threw some big punches at the start of round three but Vazquez fought right back and caught Sonsona with power punches of his own. The 25 year old Puerto Rican appeared to be getting the better of his 19 year old opponent.A series of punches to the head and body capped by a vicious left hook dropped Sonsona for the full count.During the fourth round, Vazquez landed a series of punches to the head and body to send Sonsona down for the full count to the delight of Puerto Rican fans and the dismay of Sonsona’s handlers.

Rubillar loses bid for IBO title in blatant hometown decision

Source: Manila Bulletin
Veteran Filipino southpaw Juanito Rubillar has lost in his bid to win the IBO light flyweight title when he was the victim of another blatant hometown decision which has regrettably become a norm for any visiting fighter in South Africa who fails to win by knockout.

Super Sport reported that two judges “gave the fight” to south Africa’s Hekkoe Budler in a fight card at Emperors Casino, Kempton Park, on Sunday morning Manila Time.


Super Sport noted that two judges gave the fight to Budler by margins of 117-113 and 115-113 and said “gave may be the operative word.” The third judge scored it even at 114-114.

The reporter said Rubillar and “many in the crowd, will call it a home-town decision. It will be hard to argue against them.”

While the undefeated Budler started aggressively to take the early rounds, Rubillar came back in the fourth and connected with a number of solid shots to the body as Budler backed off.

Leading with his head as much as with his gloves which is Rubillar’s style, the Filipino actually staggered Budler on a number of occasions and while referee Pete Podgorski who refereed the IBF/IBO flyweight title defense of Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire against then undefeated Raul Martinez at the Araneta Coliseum on April 19 last year cautioned the Filipino a couple of times for using his head he did not penalize Rubillar.

Rubillar took control of the fight in the seventh round and hammered Budler with solid hooks to the body and although Budler stayed on his feet he didn’t regain control of the fight although the official scorecards told a different story as Budler improved his record to 14-0, with five knockouts. Rubillar's record dropped to 48-14-7, with 23 knockouts.

Pacquiao all set and rarin' to KO Clottey

Source: Philippine Star
Barely six weeks into training and Freddie Roach believes that Manny Pacquiao is ready to fight. And ready to knock Joshua Clottey out.

“Manny Pacquiao is in great shape. We boxed 11 rounds yesterday with four different sparring partners. With all four of them, he’s looking really good. He’s got the gameplan in place,” Roach told fighthype.com.

Roach said Pacquiao will spar 12 rounds today (Saturday in Los Angeles) and will start tapering off with two weeks left for the fight at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

For this fight, Roach has reduced the number of sparring rounds from close to 150 as in the previous fights to just a little over a hundred. He said they’re not underestimating Clottey but Pacquiao is just as sharp as when he defeated Miguel Cotto last November.

It took Pacquiao just a couple of weeks of training for Roach to feel that both the power and speed were there. And it was just a matter of days for Pacquiao to work on his timing and his strength and conditioning.

“He did such a good job yesterday I almost wanted to give him a day off. But Manny won’t take a day off. We’ll box 12 rounds on Saturday. That will be our peak day then we’ll start tapering off from that point,” said Roach.

The four-time Trainer of the Year recognizes the ability of Clottey but is getting even more confident that Pacquiao will be the first one to knock out the 33-year-old former champion from Ghana.

“I do believe he will be the first person to stop him (Clottey) before the 12th round,” said Roach.

Pacquiao, who fielded questions Friday during a media conference, will head to Dallas on March 8 after a morning session at the Wild Card Gym.

Yet, Clottey remained unfazed. To him, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be up against the greatest fighter of this era, and he’s not going to waste it.

“I have more confidence this time around because I’m taking this fight like if I win, I have bigger things ahead. I have so much respect for Manny, so that gives me more confidence because I respect the guy,” he said.

“I respect the guy because, if he has the chance, he can stop me. So I respect him because of that, and because of that, I’m more confident,” he said.

Pinoy trio in world title bouts today

Source: Philippine Star
WBC lightflyweight champion Rodel Mayol stakes his crown against Omar Niño Romero while two other Filipinos, Marvin Sonsona and Juanito Rubillar Jr. bid for their own belts in three world title bouts in three countries this morning (Sunday time).

Unprecedented in ring history, the incidence of three Filipino fighters seeing action in championship matches in different countries on the same weekend is a testament to the global recognition of those following in Manny Pacquiao’s footsteps.

But it won’t be easy sailing for the Filipinos. They’re all fighting on hostile territory, yielding the homecourt advantage to their opponents.

Mayol, 28, is making the first defense of the 108-pound diadem he wrested from Edgar Sosa on a second round stoppage in Chiapas, Mexico, last November. And Pacquiao’s protégé from Mandaue is facing former champion Omar Nino Romero in Guadalajara.

Sosa suffered a triple fracture of the cheekbone in losing to Mayol and blamed a headbutt for the injury, causing a distraction that led to his knockout defeat. The controversial ending puts pressure on Romero to avenge Sosa’s setback.

Romero, 33, won the WBC crown on a decision over Brian Viloria in 2006 then was stripped of the title for testing positive for illegal drug use after battling to a majority draw with the Hawaiian Punch in a rematch. Romero was suspended a year and has come back with a bang, winning his last three outings, including a technical decision over Rubillar. Romero’s record is 28-3-1, with 11 KOs compared to 26-4-1, with 20 KOs, for Mayol.

WBC president Jose Sulaiman, a Mexican of Lebanese descent, has assured Mayol of fair scoring in the fight. The referee will be Vic Drakulich of Nevada with Stephen Blea, Nathan Palmer and Gary Ritter as judges.

At the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Sonsona attempts to bag his second world title at local favorite Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.’s expense. Both fighters are unbeaten and will dispute the vacant WBO superbantamweight crown.

Sonsona, 19, is making a jump from the superflyweight division after he was stripped of the 115-pound title at the weigh-in for his bout against Alejandro Hernandez in Ontario last November. Sonsona managed to preserve his unblemished record by holding Hernandez to a 12-round draw.

Vazquez Jr., 25, is coming off a seventh round knockout over Genaro Garcia and boasts a pedigree that is traced to his father Wilfredo Sr., a Puerto Rican legend who held the WBA bantamweight, superbantamweight and featherweight titles. Vazquez Jr. has a record of 17-0-1, with 14 KOs, while Sonsona’s card is 14-0-1, with 12 KOs.

In Sonsona’s corner will be interim WBA superflyweight champion Nonito Donaire’s father Dodong.

“This is a tough fight for Marvin,” said Donaire. “He’s moving up two weight classes so quickly without testing the waters and it’s in Vazquez’ hometown. But my dad is one of the best trainers in the business. I know what my dad can do. I’m confident Marvin can pull through. I’ve watched Vazquez fight and I saw weaknesses in his defense that Marvin will exploit. I wish Marvin and my dad all the best.”

Rubillar, 33, is in the twilight of a long career that began in 1994. He takes on Hekkie (The Hexecutioner) Budler, 20, for the vacant IBO lightflyweight crown at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa.

When Rubillar made his pro debut, Budler was only four years old. Budler’s record is 13-0, with five KOs, and 11 of his bouts were staged at the Emperor’s Palace, his happy hunting grounds.

Rubillar’s experience in compiling a 48-13-7 record, with 23 KOs, is an advantage and he can’t afford to waste this big break after losing in four attempts to win a world crown since 1999.

Rubillar is fresh from beating Jose Guadalupe Martinez by split decision in Tamaulipas, Mexico, for the WBC Continental Americas crown last November and will attempt to thwart Budler whose adviser is former WBO lightflyweight and flyweight champion Baby Jake Matlala, one of South Africa’s ring legends. Matlala fought from 1980 to 2002 and victimized two Filipinos, Ric Magramo and Pretty Boy Lucas, during his career.

If Rubillar defeats Budler, it will be sweet revenge as the Filipino lost to a South African, Zolani Petelo, in his first try for a world title in Cambridgeshire, England, in 1999. Petelo won by unanimous decision to retain his IBF minimumweight crown. Rubillar went on to lose three more title fights to Jorge Arce, Sosa and Giovanni Segura.