Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim yesterday called boxer Cesar Amonsot a “symbol of hope”. Speaking during his popular weekly radio broadcast, Lim said Amonsot deserves to be held up as an inspiration not only by young people like him but even mature people. Amonsot will challenge Australian Michael Katsidis on July 21 in Las Vegas , Nevada for the interim lightweight crown of the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Lim will fly to Las Vegas on Monday to give a pep talk to Amonsot but will no longer be around when the Tagbilaran native trade mitts with Katsidis.

The mayor noted that Amonsot was shamed right before his hometown by Indonesian Simon Butar-Butar who knocked him out right in the first round for the former's WBO Orient Pacific junior lightweight crown. “We must admit that our disappointment over that defeat was overshadowed by our anger because of his recklessness. Most of us admit that Amonsot lost in that fight not because his opponent was better than him, not because his fists were stronger and not because Amonsot was weaker,” the mayor pointed out. Lim said most people believed in their hearts that Amonsot had enough power, enough strength and enough skills to defeat his opponent.

“What happened was that during his preparation for that fight, Amonsot was negligent,” the mayor added. Lim said that while many people might have been angry with Amonsot because of his weaknesses, “maybe it is right that we reflect on this because there is something like Amonsot in us as we struggle in life”. He said that many times, people should have triumphed in their struggles in life but failed. “We fell short not because we lack in ability, talent or experience. We fell short because we were negligent not only in our preparations but also in our responsibilities,” he added. Lim said he believes that a bright future awaits Amonsot. “This is because he has repented over his failures in the past. He has accepted his shortcomings and has made a new resolve to evade the same mistakes,” he added.

Lim said people should emulate Amonsot. “All of us have tasted failure because of our own folly. Not one of us made a short-cut to success, who made it to the end of our destination without facing obstacles and temptations that litter the road of life,” he added. Lim justified his description of Amonsot by pointing out to the latter's resolve to start anew after his folly. “Like Amonsot, we can get out of the rut we fell into, get up from where we have fallen, go farther from where we are right now,” he added. Lim said that like Amonsot, people only need to go back to God and resolve to try harder with a deeper resolve to succeed. “Whatever happens in Amonsot's fight this Sunday, we have already emerged victorious when he turned his back on a reckless lifestyle that caused him to stumble in his younger days and because he has proven that he is mature enough to bounce back and face the challenges of life,” Lim said.