Heavyweight backer

Based on what took place during a 15-minute meeting starring President Bongbong Marcos and eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao on Thursday at Malacañang, the country’s 50th year celebration of the Thrilla in Manila on 29 October is going to be a slambang affair.

Pacquiao, still fresh from almost becoming a world champion again at 46 years old, gifted the President with a World Boxing Council (WBC) belt and a signed pair of Hall of Fame gloves.

Tickled pink by the gesture, Marcos took a trip down memory lane and recalled how Muhammad Ali held court during his epic showdown with Joe Frazier in October 1975 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Pacquiao, who wasn’t born yet during the Thrilla, was all ears on what the Chief Executive told about his encounter with The Greatest before the fight that is considered as the most brutal of their three-fight series.

Marcos said Ali was the darling of the press during his stay in the country and he was 18 when that fight took place with his father, the late President Ferdinand Sr. leading the staging of the world heavyweight clash that Ali won after Frazier trainer Eddie Futch telling his fighter not to answer the bell for the 15th and final round.

“It was an animated meeting,” American promoter Sean Gibbons told DAILY TRIBUNE shortly after the affair at the Palace.

“While I could not fully understand what was being said, I kinda knew the President was talking about Ali and how he regaled those around him.”

Gibbons was a vital part of the group that went to Malacañang to present to the President the proposal to stage the golden anniversary of the Thrilla in Manila with a WBC title fight featuring strawweight titleholder Melvin Jerusalem making the third defense against Siyakholwa Kuse of South Africa at the Big Dome.

Also in attendance were Marife Barrera and Len Tomas, high-ranking executives of Blow-By-Blow, the television boxing program that will help Gibbons in assembling the Thrilla in Manila fight card.

Gibbons added that he will attempt to include another world champion, International Boxing Federation minimumweight titlist Pedro Taduran, to the card that will also have hot prospect Carl Jammes Martin, Weljon Mindoro and Eumir Marcial, all fighting out of Knuckleheads Boxing and MP Promotions.

In line with the grand celebration, Pacquiao and Gibbons are also sending out invites to other stakeholders of the Thrilla 50 years ago: Promoters Don King and Bob Arum and referee Carlos Padilla.

King and Arum, both in their nineties, are still around but King might not be fit enough to travel but Arum remains a jet-setter.

Ali and Frazier are gone and so are their trainers Angelo Dundee and Futch and members of their respective camps.

Even WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, whose late father Jose was in Manila 50 years ago, will be gracing the event.

Padilla now lives in the States while eighty-something Gene Kilroy, who served as Ali’s business manager and long-time advisor, is also going to be contacted by Gibbons to come and attend the Thrilla.

“A lot of work to do,” Gibbons said.

With a heavyweight backer in their corner, Gibbons and Pacquiao are in good hands.