Archive for April, 2008

Fresh from showcasing his punching power in Mexico, Bernabe Concepcion has already caught the fancy of Top Rank chief Bob Arum and renowned trainer Freddie Roach, who both believe there is no need to rush the fighter barely out of his teens to a world title fight.

“Let’s give him a couple of more fights,” said Roach, who was in Concepcion’s corner when the 20-year-old super-bantamweight retained his North American Boxing Federation 122-lb title with a vicious second-round knockout of Torrence Daniels of the US at Plaza De Toros Juriquilla in Queretaro, Mexico, over the weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas is scheduled to visit Manila on July 5-8 and a grand welcome awaits one of the six NBA stars from the celebrated Adidas brotherhood.

Arenas, 26, will fly in to launch three new signature shoes, visit Adidas stores, conduct clinics for kids, endorse socially-oriented projects like “Gawad Kalinga” and witness the UAAP basketball game between La Salle and Ateneo as a guest at the Araneta Coliseum on July 6.

The three shoes will be known as “Agent Zero,” “Hibachi” and “Black President”- all nicknames of the flamboyant Arenas, a corporate social responsibility ambassador for Adidas.

The Adidas brotherhood is made up of Arenas, Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady.

Arenas will plane in with three companions from Beijing where he is slated to stay four days. From Manila, he returns to the US. Read the rest of this entry »

BACOLOD CITY – Barangay Ginebra’s new import — Chris Alexander — will arrive today in time for its game against sister team Purefoods on Friday in the Smart-PBA Fiesta Cup.

The 7-foot-1, 260-pounder will be the Gin Kings’ third import in the tournament after deciding to replace 7-foot Ernest Brown, who failed to impress the team’s coaching staff.

Alexander, a 27-year old product of Iowa State averaged in double figures on points and rebounds in 40 games while playing for the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) in the United States. Read the rest of this entry »

David Diaz has one advantage over Manny Pacquiao despite claims that the Filipino puncher will walk through him on June 28.

“I am naturally bigger and heavier than him (as I am used to fighting in this weight class),” Diaz told the Bulletin yesterday by phone from his Chicago home.

Pacquiao, who will make his debut at 135 lbs when he goes after Diaz’s World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown, enters unfamiliar territory as Pacquiao has never fought beyond the 130-lb ranks that he rules with an iron fist.

While Pacquiao has succeeded in getting the likes of Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez off their feet, it is unsure if he can inflict the same kind of damage against somebody who is accustomed to the pounding at lightweight, super-lightweight (140 lbs) and even at welterweight (147 lbs). Read the rest of this entry »

Top favorite Grandmaster Wesley So battled Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre to a tense and exciting draw in what many dubbed as the match between the country’s past and present chess champions in the fourth round of the 2008 “Battle of GMs” chess championship at the 11th floor, Bayside Hall, City State Hotel in Mabini, Manila.

The match between So, who made history by becoming the world’s youngest GM at age 14, and Torre, who held the baton for local chess for almost four decades, ended in a draw after 38 moves of the Ruy Lopez opening.

Both So, who played white, and Torre, have a queen and four pawns each when they agreed to split the point in this tough, 11-round tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) headed by president Prospero “Butch” Pichay and secretary-general and Tagaytay Ctiy Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. Read the rest of this entry »

Philippine football hopes to turn its fortunes around as four Fil-British players, including comebacking Phil Younghusband, spearhead the campaign of the RP team in the 2nd Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup on May 13-20 in Barotac and Iloilo City.

Head coach Norman Fegidero said yesterday that he hoped the reinforcements can provide a stronger challenge to traditional football powers in the region such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Joining Younghusband are Chad Gould, Chris Greatwich and Neil Etheridge. Gould had previously played for the RP team while the other two new recruits. Read the rest of this entry »

Ateneo tries to close out its elimination campaign on a high note when it battles Lyceum today in the fifth Shakey’s V-League at The Arena in San Juan City.

Coming off a thrilling 18-25, 25-10, 25-12, 25-23 victory over St. Benilde last Sunday, the Lady Eagles hope to carry the momentum to repeat over the Lady Pirates, whom they beat in straight sets in the first round.

Both teams meet in the main game at 4 p.m., shortly after the Adamson-College of St. Benilde clash in the opener at 2 p.m. The Lady Eagles have a 4-5 record. Read the rest of this entry »

I have always looked forward to covering the PBA All-Star Game. I must admit it’s mostly because it is invariably held out of town, and I am admittedly, a “probinsyano” at heart.

Going back to the countryside after all the pressures and stresses of city life is always a welcome respite, even if I am there to do a job. This is when my work in media becomes so enjoyable.

Last Friday, I wrote here that I looked forward to the All Star Weekend in Bacolod City, citing the glorious food, the clean and green surroundings, the relatively traffic-free situation and the famous warmth and friendliness of the people.

All of the above held true and more. Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON – The US State Department is warning of an increased risk of terror attacks in China during the coming weeks by people trying to disrupt August’s Olympic Games.The department issued a travel alert Friday that said the Chinese authorities have increased security, but Americans who plan to attend the games or who live in China should exercise caution at all times, especially in crowds. Read the rest of this entry »

Willy Wang bagged a gold medal to lead the Philippines’ seventh place finish in the recent 9th World Wushu Championship at the National Olympic Center in Beijing.

A previous world silver medalist, Wang finished on top this time, beating Indonesian Heriyanto in the Nan Quan event (Southern Fist style) of the meet that attracted nearly 1,000 wushu athletes from 89 countries. Read the rest of this entry »

Dubai Open champion Wesley So lived up to his lofty billing by beating Grandmaster-candidate Julio Catalino Sadorra at the start of the 2008 “Battle of GMs” chess championship at the 11th floor, Bayside Hall, City State Hotel in Mabini Ave. cor Padre Faura, Manila. Read the rest of this entry »

BACOLOD CITY — Renren Ritualo of Talk ’N Text is the new Three-Point King after beating Magnolia’s Dondon Hontiveros and Coke’s John Arigo in a thrilling showdown in the Smart-PBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge yesterday at the West Negros University gym here.

In a fitting sequel to the four three-point shots he made during his team’s 116-99 win over Air21 last Tuesday, the 6-foot-1 Ritualo nailed 19 triples in the final round to beat Hontiveros by one shot and Arigo by two. Read the rest of this entry »

Promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach, leading figures in Manny Pacquiao’s career, yesterday expressed concern over the decision made by the Filipino southpaw not to leave for the US next week so the fighter can both promote and train early for his June 28 bout in Las Vegas.

“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” said Arum from Las Vegas, whose outfit Top Rank is staging Pacquiao’s crack at David Diaz’s World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown at Mandalay Bay. Read the rest of this entry »

Defending champion Ronnie Alcano exacted a measure of revenge when he beat reigning World 9-Ball titlist Darryl Peach, 10-5, Wednesday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the World 8-Ball Championship at the Amir Billiards Center in Fujairah City, United Arab Emirates.

Peach is the same guy who beat Roberto Gomez in the finals of the world championship in Manila that denied what could have been back-to-back 9-ball world champions. Read the rest of this entry »

Gerald Rosales and Antonio Lascuna matched par at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club course yesterday to claim a share of 35th spot with 14 others after the first round of the $ 2.3 million BMW Asian Masters in Shanghai, China.

Rosales, hampered by a tendinitis in his right wrist, gunned down four birdies against four bogeys to submit a 72, the same score registered by Lascuna who struggled in the fornt nine with bogeys on the first, sixth and eighth holes before finisg his game for birdies on the ninth, 10th and 13th. Read the rest of this entry »