Underdog Boxing: RIP Karlo Maquinto

source: gmanetwork.com

I last talked to him at the lobby of the Midas Hotel. Karlo Maquinto was seated on one of the lobby chairs waiting to be picked up by his manager.

He was wearing his patented cap. He always wore it at an awkward angle. That’s how I got to know him when I was a newbie boxing writer who crashed Baguio’s Shape Up Gym to see Manny Pacquiao train.

“Ang ganda nung laban mo kagabi Karlo pero sa susunod huwag ka na masyadong magpapatama ha?,” I said.

“Salamat po,” he replied.

Karlo was never a man of many words.

He was on the undercard of Island Assault 3: Viloria versus Segura. His opponent, ArgieToquero started like a house on fire. Toquero attacked recklessly and effectively in the first two rounds. He even managed to wobble Karlo’s legs for a moment in the second round. Karlo stuck to his gameplan and listened to his trainers. He boxed so well that most of the people at ringside believed he was still going to win even if he lost the first two rounds.

Karlo got into his rhythm in the third round and he punished Toquero en route to a fifth round TKO.

I was supposed to give him a copy of his recent fight but they needed to head back to Baguio to train again so I told his manager that I’ll be giving them a copy when they get back to Manila.

I never got the chance to hand him a copy of his fight. It will bug me for the rest of my life.

The next time I saw Karlo, he was on a hospital bed, hooked to different machines. He was on a life support system; getting nourishment through IV fluid and breathing through a machine. His favorite cap rested on his bedside.

He was 21 years old, his entire life was ahead of him. He had absolutely no business being on a hospital bed fighting for his life.

His manager, Anson Tiu Co and Karlo’s trainers Marvin Somodio and Jeff Linay entered the room a few minutes after I did. Darkness bordered their eyes; a concoction of sleepless nights and tearful days. Anson’s phone rang incessantly. Some called to show their support, some to ask for an interview or an update on Karlo’s health.

“The doctors said it will be too dangerous if they operated on him and the family wanted to be together so we decided to move him from the ICU to a private room,” Anson explained.

Anson cared for all of his fighters and it tore him to see one of his boys in this situation. “He was in perfect condition before the fight. He underwent tests and he passed every single one” he shared.

Karlo was decked twice early in that fight but in normal Karlo Maquinto fashion, he fought through all of it.

“Pagkatapos niyang bumagsak, tumitingin siya sa amin,” shared Marvin. “Ganun talaga yung ginagawa niya para sabihing okay lang siya.”

Throughout the fight, Marvin and Jeff continuously asked Karlo if he was okay and the fighter always answered in the affirmative.

“Sinasabihan ko siya na ulitin yung instructions ko para malaman ko kung malinaw pa yung pag-iisip niya,” Marvin told me. Karlo did just that. He repeated what Marvin said word for word, the only thing he was not sure with was what round it was; a normal occurrence for boxers.

“Napansin ko lang nung last 30 seconds, ‘di na siya masyadong sumuntok,” said Jeff.

“Dati kasi pag last 30 seconds na, ‘di na tumitigil si Karlo.”

Karlo fought with all of his heart. No one could tell exactly when his brain started swelling up. No one could tell when he began feeling the effects of the pressure inside his head. But I’m sure it could not have happened in the final round. Karlo knew something was wrong at one point in that fight but he didn’t want to quit. He fought with all of his heart. After the decision was read, all the adrenaline left Karlo’s body. He collapsed moments after.

His sister was by his side a few hours after he collapsed. His mother and a brother flew in from Iloilo.

When his mother came, Karlo was already in a comatose state. When his mom started crying and talking to him, Karlo shed a single tear. That was the last reaction they ever got from him. He slipped further after that point.

“Gising na Karlo, andito na yung mga bisita mo,” his mom pleaded.

She was poking Karlo’s toes, trying to get a reaction. Her sister stared blankly at Karlo, as tears streamed down her face.

His brother was wiping Karlo’s face with a towel. “Ta, gising na. Uuwi pa tayo sa bahay,” he said over and over, hoping that his brother will hear what he is saying and snap out of the coma.

The medical reports were bleak. He was brain dead, the doctors said, and there was little they could do about it. Karlo’s mother, sister, and brother were having none of it. They will fight the situation they were currently in. Quit is word unfamiliar to the Maquintos. It was something Karlo never did in his life. It is something his family won’t do either.

Karlo had potential. His work ethic was tremendous and he listened to his trainers all the time. Karlo threw combinations that would shame other more experienced fighters.

He was a good prospect. The type who could have been a world title contender. But I guess there’s no way of knowing now.

Boxing is a cruel sport. This is why fighters who load up their gloves should be branded as criminals. This is why testing for steroids is a serious matter. While performance enhancing drugs in other sports may simply mean you can run faster or jump higher or hit the ball stronger, in boxing it may be the difference between beating your opponents and beating them to death.

Accidents such as what happened to Karlo, sadly, are destined to occur once in a while. But these accidents always seemed to happen far from us. When Z Gorres collapsed in the ring, it was in the United States. When Lito Sisnorio died, it was in Thailand. Now, it happened here on a nationally broadcast card. It happened to a very young fighter, to a friend.

This is a curse that befalls everyone related to boxing: fan, fighter, or promoter. We all love the sport but we know it will betray us at some point. We know that boxing robs men and women of their health. We know fighters who stayed too long often retire with various ailments such as Parkinson’s disease. We know that every so often we’ll have to witness someone die to remind us all how dangerous the sport is.

For sure, multiple government organizations will conduct investigations about this matter. People against the the sport of boxing will again bang their drums and shout to the high heavens that the government should ban the sport.

But amidst all these things, I wish everyone would remember that this is not a PR situation or a news item. This is a tragic story of a young man who died while trying to earn a living for his family.

Karlo passed a few hours earlier. His family was by his side. I request everyone to say a prayer for Karlo’s soul; pray for strength for his family.

The boxing world bids you farewell, Karlo. How I wish the world saw more of you.

source: gmanetwork.com