Accents
Pacquiao-Clottey exits history; Julaton enters
Oakland, CA , USA , March 14—A day after the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey boxing bout in Texas, six people are now back to the affairs of everyday. The night before this household was in joyful victory along with the Pinoy partisans who trooped to the jam-packed Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium — Kababayans united in spirit for country and people and pride for one of their own.
The pay-per-view made it all too real like being seated at the ringside in the company of political kingpin Chavit Singson who took every chance for a photo op with the Pinoy Champ in all his fights. In the comforts of home, this viewer stood at attention, right hand on the breast as famed songster Arnel Pineda sang the Philippine National Anthem. Love of country soared high, beating in the heart with every punch delivered by our boxing hero.
Yesterday’s win, however, didn’t stir up the euphoria Pinoy countrymen felt when Pacquiao knocked down Ricky Hatton twice in the 2008 Las Vegas tussle. Ghana’s Clottey, who was on the defensive for all of the 12 rounds, threw 399 punches against Pacquiao’s 1,231 that clinched the Pacman tag as “the best fighter pound-per-pound in the league”—holding tight the welterweight title as conferred by the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Whether or not Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will challenge that hold remains to be seen. In the interim, there is the Pacquiao-Clottey bout which is but a page in boxing history. As for boxing history’s succeeding pages, Julaton is prepped up to write them.
Who is Julaton? A Filipino woman boxer! Did that ring a bell down there in Duyan ng Magiting? We ourselves didn’t know Julaton from Eve until we saw her picture on the cover of SF WEEKLY, a thick San Francisco magazine, in a stance set to pounce: lips pursed, gloves clinched, and eyes, The Eyes of the Hurricane, as staff writer Lauren Smiley had it captioned on the cover. Julaton’s picture easily brings to mind Hilary Swank in the film Million Dollar Baby as a pugnacious woman boxer, the role that won for her the Oscar Best Actress Award.
Also on the cover is a subhead in big type: Women’s boxing champ Ana Julaton sees a future where her sport is more than a novelty. Inside the March 10-16, 2010 issue is a six-page feature strewn with photos and quotes. The writer titillates with an interesting opener: She’s been called the female Manny Pacquiao. But can Ana Julaton make people care about women’s boxing? And more provoking lines: Some women in the sport use their sexuality to get ahead. Julaton, who prefers sweats in her daily life, shows up for press appearances in heels and lipstick. A photo by the crew of ESPN’s E:60 shows her in a diaphanous lace topper and trinkets. Most feminine attire, I would say, one you’re not likely to expect in a woman boxer.
Born in San Francisco, Luciana Julaton, Ana for short, has still a long way to speaking conversational Tagalog. From Pangasinan, her parents migrated to the States where Cesar, his father, got employed in the Safeway supermarket. Amelia, her mother, works as card dealer in a casino. College was her parent’s wish for her, but doing mitt-work in the gym was their daughter’s preference. Writer Lauren Smiley quotes the father: “I thought she’d just grow up and be a normal girl. Not that she’s not normal. I just didn’t expect this.”
The SF magazine featured two photos of Ana: garbed in taekwondo outfit clasping the Champ’s cup at age 12; and the other, winning the San Francisco Golden Gloves silver medal in 2004. She copped another silver medal at the U.S.A. Boxing National Championships in 2007. I strongly feel next time it’s going to be gold.
Ana laments the fact that the International Olympic Committee does not include women’s boxing in the summer games. Says she: “It’s something you imagine happening 50 years ago, 100 years ago. It’s like why? Because I’m just a girl?” Smacks of the gender divide that womankind has still to cross. And you wonder how many more International Women’s Day will pass before Ana Julaton ceases with her questions.
Angelo Reyes, Julaton’s manager, is featured in a photo as he “prepares the Hurricane for battle.” Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer and one time Julaton’s trainer, is quoted: “A lot of people come and say, ‘Train me,’ and they can’t go a round. She hung in there and she performed well.” Donaire, Sr., the father of Nonito Donaire, holder of the IBF (International Boxing Federation) flyweight title, is shown in a photo training Julaton for the BIG EVENT: the fight against Canadian Lisa Brown to be held in Ontario, Canada, March 27. Brown is said to be Julaton’s “toughest opponent yet.” For womankind and for the Philippines in particular, the outcome of the Canada match-up will be a Manny Pacquiao history in the making. Or, heaven forbid, the end.
Join me in wishing Ana Julaton winning fight after fight to make of BayangMagiliw truly Duyan ng Magiting in the boxing world — all for country and people.
(Email: lagoc@hargray.com)
