By Lynde Salgados
Correspondent
WITHOUT much ado when anybody had the chance to visit former world boxing champion, Rene Barrientos, at his place in Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro, it’s not difficult to surmise that trading blows with the legendary Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde was by far the Kagay-anon’s most memorable fight in his storied boxing career.
At the family’s veranda, you’ll find an old framed leaflet of their promotional fight back in Cebu on February 27, 1965, hanging around to remind the visitors that another certified Filipino boxing legend is in the house.
“We already buried the hatchet as I always visited bai (Elorde) in Manila at the time when he was seriously ill with lung cancer. When he was still in good shape, he made an effort to come here to Cagayan de Oro for a week-long vacation. They (Elordes) are my extended family in Manila. I don’t know I have no vices then, but after forging intimate relations with bai I’ve also learned to smoke cigarettes. Maybe I’m quite sentimental for old time’s sake," Barrientos shared.
But no matter what, the now 80-year-old Barrientos felt it’s just but fair to retell what really happened on the night of their unforgettable Cebu encounter supposedly had video clips but mysteriously never unveiled.
Ireneo Barrientos, or simply “Rene” to his countless friends, made Cagayan de Oro greatly proud on February 15, 1969.
Yes, February 15, 1969. The day when the then 25-year-old Barrientos defeated American fighter Ruben Navarro to claim the WBC super featherweight crown at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Metro Manila.
The belt did not last long though after he lost in both his title defense and return match with Japanese Yoshiaki Numata via split decisions in 1970 and 1971 in those fights all held in Japan, and Barrientos cried of a hometown decision.
Despite the controversial loss, Barrientos until today is brimming with so much pride and honor that once upon a time he became a world boxing champion.
Barrientos’ boxing career afforded him to provide a permanent home to his family with a 2,000-square-meter lot in Barangay Carmen from hard-earned money that would have an appraisal value now to P50 million.
But every time the granddaddy of boxing would step at Cebu’s main boxing haven he could not help but recall his past ring exploit in the Queen City of the South ― subconscious-wise.
In all of his six fights at the Cebu Coliseum, Barrientos said five of them that he won were not as memorable as his defeat at the hands of the late Flash Elorde.
And why not.
On the night of February 1965, the great majority of Cebuano fans who came to witness what would become one of the most memorable fights in Philippine boxing history would surprisingly cheer for Barrientos.
Barrientos remembered hearing the chants of the fans as if he was winning the whole round especially when he landed solid blows to Elorde.
In fact, Barrientos said the pro-Cebuano crowd got mad when the referee did not declare a knockdown against Elorde in the 11th round of their 12-rounder bout for the OPBF title and instead called it a slip.
Worse, he said the referee pushed him to the corner as if helping Elorde to recover from his fall.
“I cannot speak for myself if that was a knockdown because it would sound biased, but I let the fans decide of what they saw,” was his humble reply to queries.
Barrientos said the fans got mad even more when the judges declared Elorde the winner via unanimous decision.
To his consolation, Elorde predicts after the verdict that Barrientos would be the next world boxing champion after him.
When Muhammad Ali, or the former Cassius Clay, claimed that he’s the greatest boxer of all time Barrientos averred.
“You’re the greatest if you are champion not only in boxing but everything. I mean, batasan, behavior, character, pag-amping sa imong health and the likes,” Barrientos points out.
He said Elorde, who’s much older than him, was not only good in boxing but also outside the ring.
“Buotan pakisama kaayo. Pero mora’g ako usa ra sa pipila kon aduna man nga mga world boxing champions nga wala sukad matumba sa away,” Barrientos said.
