Donaire, Condes break Pacquiao jinx

The jinx on Filipino professional boxers, according to a www.philboxing.com report, has ended. And that jinx, the writer said, started when Manny Pacquiao "gave up the linear world featherweight title bestowed upon him by Ring magazine in 2005." Right after that, the article said, a streak of losing befell Filipino boxers. Included in the list of Filipino losers were Yukka Gejon, Rodel Mayol, Diosdado Gabi, Randy Suico, Glenn Donaire, Z Gorres, and Gerry Penalosa. But finally, the jinx was broken starting with the victory of Florante "Little Pacquiao" Condes who won the minimum or strawweight contest against International Boxing Federation (IBF) Muhammad Rachman in Jakarta late Saturay night. This was followed up by the upset win of Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire against IBF Flyweight champ Vic Darchinyan of Australia last Saturday (Sunday in the Philippines) at Harbour Yard Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut in the United States. Ominously, the victory of the two Filipino world champs was posted on July 7, 2007, translated as 07-07-07, which many Pinoys believe is a good omen. The article said that "Filipino "small men" do have a history of shocking the world, starting with Pancho Villa's smashing KO win over Jimmy Wilde in 1925, a childhood polio stricken Dodie Penalosa winning the IBF lightflyweight and flyweight belts in the 1980's, Rolando Pascua's upset KO win over Chiquita Gonzales for the World Boxing Council (WBC) lightflyweight title in 1990, and Manny Pacquiao's first world crown ­ a come from behind one punch KO of Chatchai Sasakul for the WBC flyweight belt in 1998." And hopefully, another Filipino world champion would emerge when Czar Amonsot faces another Australian in the person of Michael Katsidis for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim lightweight title. The fight is one of the undercards in the super middleweight fight between Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will be followed by Rodel "Batang Mandaue" Mayol's (23-1, 18KOs) face-off against Mexican Ulises Solis (24-1-2, 18KOs) for the IBF light flyweight crown in the undercard of the WBC lightweight match between Erik Morales and David Diaz on August 4 at the All State Arena in Chicago, Illinois. Then the much awaited double world championship in the prestigious World Cup of Boxing will follow with on August 11 at the Arco Arena in California. The main event will feature Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista (23-0, 17KOs) challenging Mexican Daniel Ponce de Leon (31-1, 28KOs) for the WBO super bantamweight plum, while former WBC super flyweight champ Gerry Peñalosa (51-5-2, 34KOs) will fight Johnny Gonzalez (34-5, 29KOs) for the latter's WBO bantamweight crown. - GMANews.TV