WHOEVER said that the Pacquiao-Barrios match was the most anticipated fight this month probably did not see this coming.
But here we are, with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III accepting the challenge of Davao City acting mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte for a fight and added that it could be a "charity boxing match."
“Ang una kong naisip, tamang-tama. Maraming kababayan natin ngayon ang nangangailangan ng tulong na naapektuhan ng bagyo at baha. Maybe, this is a very good time para sa isang charity boxing match,” Torre said.
Duterte has been on a warpath against the police chief, especially with Torre leading the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte and turning him over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) when he was the head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
The younger Duterte, last Sunday, stated on his “Basta Dabawenyo” vlog, "Kasi matapang ka lang naman you have the position. Pero kung suntukan tayo alam kong makaya kita. But then you're a coward.”
Torre wants it at the Big Dome
In response, Torre even upped the ante, proposing to hold it on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We can do it on Sunday sa Araneta. Actually, puwede. Seriously, it's okay. Maganda yan charity at least makatulong kami ni Mayor Baste sa ating mga kababayang nasalanta yung proceed kung ano man. Sigurado maraming manonood niyan," he said.
“I'll ask Araneta to set up a boxing ring. Hopefully, they will oblige."
But can it be done?
It's been more than a decade since the Big Dome hosted a boxing event, when Donnie Nietes retained his WBO and The Ring junior-flyweight titles versus Gilberto Parra of Mexico and Nonito Donaire won the vacant NABF super bantamweight title against Brazilian boxer William Prado at Pinoy Pride 30: D-Day back in March 28, 2015.
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Besides, Araneta is already booked on Sunday, holding the KAION in Manila concert tour of Korean singer Kai of EXO.
It's also a fight that's going to be held in such short notice.
However, if a promoter do want to organize such match, they will have to set up a boxing ring first, one that takes about two to three hours to build.
They also need referees, judges, and other personnel. Or they can just have an old school, unsactioned fistfight wherever they deem.
Truth be told, chances for that dream Baste-Torre fight might just be that: a pipe dream and those are just pure trashtalk which will leave us with zero action.
But of course, stranger things have happened.
So who you got?
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