Bring in the big boys

When was the last time boxing fans saw two professional heavyweights rumble on local soil?

While it wasn’t as far away back as the Thrilla in Manila in 1975, Filipino fight fans actually saw a few during the 1990s.

When the country celebrates the golden anniversary of the ‘Thrilla’ on 29 October, a pair of heavyweight will be on full display to serve as a special attraction to a card that will feature a world championship fight starring World Boxing Council strawweight king Melvin Jerusalem.

“I am working on bringing a heavyweight fight because that’s a novelty,” American promoter Sean Gibbons told DAILY TRIBUNE on Friday, stressing that he will be reaching out to premier stables and promotional outfits.

“The Thrilla was made famous by a heavyweight fight so it’s just appropriate that we do a heavyweight bout,” added Gibbons, who is one of the major players in the celebration of the storied showdown between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Thrilla fight program will feature not just Jerusalem and the heavyweights but Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Marcial, Weljon Mindoro, Carl Jammes Martin and Marlon Tapales.

The entire card will be shown by Manny Pacquiao’s Blow-By-Blow Presents Thrilla in Manila with the television show’s top executives Marife Barrera and Len Tomas presiding over the project and Liza Elorde providing a helping hand.

They were in attendance alongside Gibbons during Pacquiao’s courtesy call with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday at Malacañang.

“It’s a full circle,” said Gibbons, referring to the President’s late father Ferdinand Sr. who was at ringside at the Big Dome (renamed as the Philippine Coliseum) when Ali won by stoppage as Frazier, battered and bruised, was not allowed by his lead trainer Eddie Futch to come out for the 15th and final round.

Then WBC president Jose Sulaiman was also present in the event and his son Mauricio, now leading the Mexico-based governing body, is also gracing the 50th anniversary.

The younger Sulaiman will be joined by other stakeholders of the 1975 classic, including Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, referee Carlos Padilla, Ali’s right-hand man Gene Kilroy and descendants of Ali and Frazier.

The cornermen of Ali and Frazier — Angelo Dundee (Ali) and Eddie Futch (Frazier) — are no longer around.