35. The Young Boxer Dreamt of an “Anthony’s Day”: GOLDEN RECEPTION FOR A SILVER MEDALIST

When Anthony Villanueva arrived Tuesday afternoon last week, the most audible sounds that greeted him as he inched his way through the streets from Pasay to Manila to Quezon City on an open Thunderbird convertible were the giggles of admiring girls.

Anthony, the 19 year old featherweight sensation, many a girl sighed , was good looking and remarks like “His cheeks are rosy,” “He looks like a movie actor,” “Simpatiko” and “Guwapong-guwapo” were heard from the crowd. One male commented that if he were not good looking, there would not be that many people (the crowd was 15-deep in Escolta).

But Anthony was more than good-looking. He was humble in victory and his oft-bowed head betrayed his extreme shyness.

A month before Anthony’s departure for the World’s Olympic at Tokyo, Anthony told his father Cely Villanueva: “Itay, there was a day for Elorde and a day for Gemma, but I pray that when I return home, there shall also be an Anthony’s day.”

Anthony’s first words to his after upon meeting him in the airport were: “Itay, your Olympic record was broken.” Cely’s answer to Anthony was, ”Son, I have always prayed for your victory. Your Inay and I, and the whole nation are proud of you.”Anthony was speechless the first moments he saw his father and mother. All he could do was cry on his mother’s shoulder.

According to Gene Puyat, whom Anthony calls “Tito” and sometimes “Mr. Paymaster,” after Anthony won the silver medal he was just himself again---very shy, very modest.

 Anthony  is a music lover. He hopes to organize his own combo. He said if he can help it, he does not want to turn professional in boxing. “I want to retire and continue my studies in fine arts.”

 In his quarters at Tokyo, Anthony was once seen by Gene Puyat shadow boxing to the tune of martial music. During his fight at the World’s Olympics, Anthony was not thinking of the bronze or the silver medals. Gene Puyat said he simply fought like the devil to win. Before the final bout in Tokyo, Anthony was even seen in his room, at the Hotel Imperial kneeling in prayer.

Anthony has been offered movie contracts through his father Cely. If Anthony consents, he is schedules to appear in a movie entitled “Pamatay—Kaliwa at Kanan.” For the “Anthony Villlanueva Story”, he has a standing offer of P100,000.

Anthony said that “Tito Gene,” like his Itay, is also deeply religious. “All of us in the boxing team, recited the Rosary and the Lord’s Prayer before training.” Gene Puyat, that he required his boys to pray and sing the National Anthem before they trained or fought in competition.

“We observed struct discipline. This applied to the coach and trainers as weel. Anyone who broke a rule was out.” Puyat also said: “We had to pray. My responsibility was enormous. Anything can happen in boxing. The lives of no less than six boxers were at stake. To me, their safety is my great concern.”

Puyat sent no less than three years training his boxers. This involved time, money, and effort. “In boxing, money is imperative. The boys trained very hard and they needed a special diet. Tuyo and tinapa cannot make them strong. We have to supplement their intake with special diet such as steak, milk, and eggs. I have appealed to my friends for funds and I am grateful they responded.”

Cely reiterated his boast (not an empty one) about Anthony being an ideal boxer. Cely, who likes to dabble in verses, extols Anthony’s ability by quoting the late sports authority Grantland Rice: “To be a champion boxer, one must have the endurance of a marathoner, the strength of a Hercules, the grace and ease of a dancer (which is Anthony’s master), the precision of a baseball player (which Anthony possesses), but above all, he must possess a super abundance of that mysterious quality known as the fighting heart.”

Anthony, despite his twice cut eyebrow, fought to the finish in the final bout in Tokyo. Anthony’s trainer and second,”Aling Enriquez, said it was not true he told Anthony to hold his punches in the first round in his bout with the Russian. “In fact, “ he said, “I told him to go after the Russian from the very start when I noticed Anthony’s punches made him groggy. But unfortunately, our opponents in Tokyo were not the boxers, but the judges.”

Anthony may never turn pro but many will not forget the days when he brought joy and pride to millions of despairing Filipinos who were getting accustomed to news about disastrous defeats in Tokyo.

A humble Anthony coming home was a real champion, in and out of the ring. 

SOURCE:

F. M. Caliwag, The Sunday Times Magazine, 15 September 1964, pp. 26-28