NO MATTER how tough San Miguel Beermen veteran Ronald Tubid is inside the hard court, the Ilonggo guard showed that he also has his soft spot when he is in street clothes.
The Iloilo City guard showed his soft side when he went to Sampaloc, Manila as part of the PBA Homecourt. Tubid’s appearance was his penance to diminish the league’s fine for him.
Tubid said it was nostalgic for him to step on the same basketball courts where he used to play during his collegiate years when he was still part of the University of the East Red Warriors.
“Madalas inaabot kami dito ng mgga kaibigan ko ng madaling araw kakalaro ng basketball,” Tubid said. “Malapit lang kasi ‘yung UE dito.”
“Iniikot namin ito, P. Campa, P. Noval, Balic-Balic,” he added. “Sobrang saya, parang ganito pa rin kung ano ‘yung dati. Ako nga na-surprise. It’s been 20 years bago ako nakabalik dito kasi may mga taong kilala mo pa rin dati.”
Tubid, along with Beermen teammate Kelly Nabong and Blackwater Elite’s James Sena and rookie Abu Tratter, played 3-on-3 games with kids and neighboring teenagers. They
also conducted a free throw shooting contest.
“Mga bata, susunod lang sa mga magulang. Walang hinahangad ‘yung magulang na ikasasama ninyo,” Tubid said in his parting speech. “Importante ang pag-aaral at disiplina.”
“‘Yung pangarap huwag bibitaw. Malay natin paggising ninyo, PBA na rin kayo gaya namin,” added Tubid. “And don’t forget to pray. Ika nga, play hard, pray harder.” (RG)
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Filipino boxing champion Jerwin Ancajas, who once dreamed of winning a title even at a regional level, is now aiming to unify the world championship at the super flyweight division.
The 27-year-old Ancajas, the reigning IBF super-flyweight champion, and has defended the crown seven times since winning it in 2016. His next fight will come either late September or early October.
“When I was starting out, I dreamed of winning a regional belt. Now, I’m a world champion. I hope I can unify the belts if I’m blessed,” Ancajas said during his appearance at the PSA Forum.
Ancajas’s trainer Joven Jimenez said that they are currently arranging the details of his next fight and is hoping to land a fight with Mexican champion Juan Francisco Estrada.
“We have a timetable. Top Rank is negotiating a fight with WBC champion Juan Francisco Estrada. But we’re looking at three names, including Andrew Maloney (Australia, 20-0) and Alexandru Marin (Romania, 18-0),” said Jimenez.
Ancajas said he has what it takes to beat Estrada, the 29-year-old Mexican (39-3 with 26 knockouts) who outclassed Thai pound-for-pound champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai last April.
“If we can get the Estrada fight that will be exciting,” said Ancajas, who defended his title for the seventh time last May with a seventh-round stoppage of Ryuichi Funai of Japan in Stockton, California.
“We believe that there’s a way to beat Estrada. We can beat him,” added Ancajas, who has kept himself busy doing light training ahead of his next fight, which is set in the United States./PN
