By ALEX P. VIDAL
Manny Pacquiao couldn’t believe when ailing actor Rudy Fernandez called him up days before the cancer-stricken idol of Philippine movie went home to the Philippines after undergoing alternative treatment in the United States. (Daboy passed away in the morning of Saturday, June 7, 2008.)
"Manny, baka indi na ako makapanood sa laban mo sa June 28 (I may not be able to watch your fight on June 28 anymore, Manny)," sources from the camp of the boxing champion in his apartment in La Brea, Los Angeles, California quoted the 56-year-old actor popularly known as "Daboy" as saying.
The conversation lasted for about 10 to 15 minutes where both boxer and actor offered prayers and wished each other good luck, sources added.
Fernandez has been battling periampulary cancer and was reportedly released from a Manila hospital after his body rejected a third cycle of chemotherapy.
Fernandez has been under the Rexin-G program (a "targeted gene therapy) since February. The cancer affects the area where the ducts from the liver and the pancreas enter the small intestines.
Sources said Pacquiao "was saddened" by Fernandez’s message and wished the actor would be able to recover even if the cancer has reportedly entered his liver.
"Manny was sad because he considers Daboy a friend who never missed his fights," said the source who accompanied the 29-year-old Gen. Santos City phenom in his recent promotional tour in Berkeley, California where Pacquiao had a "cordial" meeting with the 32-year-old Diaz.
Fernandez and wife Lorna Tolentino left for Los Angeles March 5 for therapy en route to Las Vegas, Nevada where they watched Pacquiao’s fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.
Meanwhile, World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion David Diaz did not predict a knockout win in his title defense versus Pacquiao dubbed "Lethal Combination" but vowed to keep his crown and remain as world champion after June 28.
WBC’s ‘Instant Replay’ May
Benefit RP Pugs in OPBF Fights
The influential Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) has agreed to use instant replay in World Boxing Council (WBC) fights, WBC president Jose Sulaiman announced on Wednesday (June 4) in Mexico City. Filipino boxers will now be protected from hometown decisions which remained to be their major stumbling block in pocketing OPBF titles.
Sulaiman, 77, had earlier announced that "the WBC is very happy with this development regarding the instant replay rule, which was adopted during the 45th Annual WBC World Convention in Manila, Philippines, in November 2007."
Sulaiman, quoted by WBC news, said: "At first, the JBC did not accept the use of the rule and a major injustice came very close to happening in Japan when champion Hozumi Hasegawa fought Simone Maludrottu in January, 2008."
"Hasagawa sustained a large cut on his eyelid. The referee did not see the headbutt that produced it, and ruled that the cut was caused by a legal punch. During the rest period between rounds, the replay – which clearly showed that the cut was caused by a headbutt - was shown to millions of fans who were watching on television as well as thousands of fans in the arena who could see the giant video screens.
"Fortunately, the fight went to a decision and Hasegawa won, but had the fight been stopped on the cut, Hasegawa would have lost his title.
"The Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation has announced the use of the four–and eight-round open scoring in all OPBF title fights.
"This innovative rule has been proven to bring excitement and competitiveness to fights around the world.
"More than 45 countries are using open scoring in title bouts, and there has been no negative incident."
The country has two reigning OPBF champions — Rolly Matsushita Lunas (bantamweight) and Randy Suico (lightweight).
Superbantamweight Jun Talape of Jay De Pedro’s Tiger City gym will gun for OPBF title worn by Wethya Sakmuangklaeng of Thailand next month and could be the first Filipino to avail of instant replay in a WBC-sanctioned fight. /MP
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