‘Superb, World Class’ SONSHINE’S FIRST FORAY INTO SPORTS AWES, AMAZES AND INSPIRES SPECTATORS

By Lito delos Reyes

Davao City – The country’s newest sports management group, Sonshine Sports Management, entered the Philippine sports scene with a big and thunderous bang as it staged what many observers described as a “world class” and “superb” boxing show on Saturday at the fully-airconditioned Davao Recreation Center in downtown Davao City.

“This is world class,” a surprised Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte described “The Boxing Revolution 1” who could not seem to believe that the compact recreation center formerly known as the Almendras Gymnasium would be transformed into a beautiful mini-theater and jampacked by almost 4,000 people.

Duterte, who arrived in a small group at about 8:30 p.m. stayed up to the last minute when former WBC world flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro received the Asian Boxing Federation (ABF) bantamweight championship belt following a 6th round stoppage of Indonesian Ichal Tobida.

Volunteers from the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a congregation led by popular evangelist Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy who is behind the Sonshine Sports Management, made up the interior of the small gymnasium turning it into a colorful arena.

KJC’s Sonshine Media Network Inc. equally surprised the boxing fans as it displayed modern and sophisticated TV production equipment which observers said could be at par with those of the big television networks involved in boxing coverage.

With an overhead camera hoisted through a TV crane and 2 giant LED screens to replay video clips of the action inside the ring, the gym became a virtual television studio which delighted local boxing fans.

“This is simply an outstanding show and this will certainly revive the interest of Davaoenos in boxing,” said lawyer Eliseo Braganza.

For businessman Lucrecio Arizola last Saturday’s event was apt to its title “The Boxing Revolution.”

“This will really revolutionize boxing in Davao and in the neighboring areas. Now, boxing fans like me can go to events like this knowing that we will witness a world class show,” Arizola said.

City Councilor Jimmy Dureza, who awarded the champion’s belt to Jaro, said the Sonshine Sports Management boxing event could be the start of the transformation of the city into another center of sports for the Philippines.

“Maybe in the future, we could hold bigger world championships which will feature Nonito Donaire or even Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

Contributing to the success of the event was the involvement of former North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol whose long and deep experience in the world of boxing guided the new sports management group as it ventured into a new landscape.

The former Governor was also assisted by another veteran broadcaster, Jay Sonza, whose days with the giant networks ABS CBN and GMA 7 equipped him with the deep understanding of TV production.

Veteran sports director Emmanuel “Bebbs” Alvarez who flew in from Manila for the event and Gov. Pinol’s brother, Socrates, a former board member and an ABS CBN production assistant in his younger days also contributed much to the success of the program.

But Gov. Pinol gave much of the credit to the organizational prowess of the KJC Group led by Engr. Neneng Lizada and Atty. Binggay Dureza-Aldevera.

“I have not seen a more focused and dedicated group. Volunteers worked for 24 hours to make sure everything was properly done and the venue was neat and clean,” he said.

With a very successful first sports event, the Sonshine Management Group says it is ready for its next big event two months from now.

(Photos caption: Former world flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro exchanges punches with Indonesian Ichal Tobida while Lorenzo “Thunderbolt” Villanueva pursues another Indonesian Henrick Barongsay in “The Boxing Revolution 1. Photo by Sonshine Sports Management.)