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WELL-TRAINED Jordan Herrera scored a big win over TJ
Trinidad at the start of Pinoy Mano Mano: The Celebrity Boxing
Challenge. This boxing-reality show pits TV and movie personalities
against each other and aims to test their mental and physical
strength inside the boxing ring.
Jordan’s strongest asset during
the fight was his strong lefthand that sent TJ rethinking his
strategies. Jordan also moved around the ring a lot and he had more
hits than misses compared to TJ who took a while before he warmed up
in last Saturday’s fight.
Like Jordan, many of the
celebrity contenders are actors who need a second lease in their
careers. Take for instance Biboy Ramirez, a former GMA 7 resident
young actor who wants a change of image. “There’s so much
competition out there, so many newcomers, all hoping to take a crack
at stardom. Mahirap makipagsabayan so I thought it might help if I
change my image and turn into a character role instead of being
frozen as a matinee idol wannabe,” Biboy puts it bluntly. Unknown
to many, this 26-year-old actor idolizes Ultimate Fighting
Championship heavyweight Chuck Lidell.
Eric Fructuoso has been away from
the limelight for a long time now. After some troubled years as a
confused teenager, he got married and has found other means of
supporting his family. He is eyeing a post as kagawad in one of the
barangays in the South.
Another strong contender is
radio-jock turned Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) housemate Rico Robles who
has been an amateur boxer for some time now. I’m afraid I’ll
hurt my hand, because I’ll be hurting them so much. I’m afraid,
too, that my opponents will injure their hands, because my defense
is just insane,” claims the confident Rico. Another PBB housemate
turned celebrity boxer is Rico Barrera. He has long limbs and can
hit with such intensity, too.
Michael Roy Jornales claims that
he was a former child actor. He focused on Mixed Martial Arts and
believes that his experience gives him the upper hand in this boxing
show. Will joining Pinoy Mano Mano revive his acting career?
Newcomer Joem Bascon made sure he
finished all his scenes first in Batanes where he is cast in the new
Adolfo Alix film starring F4’s Ken Zhou, Iza Calzado and Sid
Lucero. Considered by many as the one most likely to follow Piolo
Pascual’s footsteps, Joem had to think long and hard before he
agreed to be part of this reality show where the overall champion
will take home a new car.
These boxers are training
rigorously at the Red Corner Gym, under the supervision of Coach
Ruel Velasco of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.
Besides the main event in each
weekly episode, another exciting match to watch out for is the match
between two female celebrity boxers that will be featured in the
undercard. Last weekend, the referee had to stop the fight of John
Hall and Juddha Paolo when the latter twisted his injured shoulder,
which required the organizers to rush him to St. Luke’s Hospital.
This weekend, it’s the turn of
Biboy Ramirez and Michael Roy Jornales to slug it out. Our bet is on
Michael Roy.
--Sylvia Santamaria
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