Boxing icon Oscar de la Hoya saw something good in Filipinos that convinced him they are the next big thing in the boxing planet. That is one thing we do not see in ourselves most often. In an interview with Filipino sports scribes, de la Hoya did not hide the fact that he was impressed with Filipino boxers - enough for him to take them under his wings at Golden Boy Promotions (GBP). “They are very impressive. They have dedication, respect, desire, pride, and a willingness to learn,” remarked the pound-for-pound great. Cynics may be quick to dismiss it as part of the promotional kit given that de la Hoya's GBP is bankrolling boxing's World Cup this morning at the Arco Arena in Sacramento. Still, no one will deny that de la Hoya is putting his money where his mouth is by sponsoring the six-fight brawl between the Philippines and Mexico . This leads us to wonder whether the Golden Boy was looking someplace else. Over here, most Filipinos look down on themselves with scorn and contempt. Many of those who have pulled out the pegs to live some place else deride Filipinos at the first opportunity to do so. And yet, de la Hoya did not miss a beat in paying tribute to the Filipino boxers under his stable. In his eyes, their biggest assets are their dedication, respect, desire, pride and a willingness to learn.

It is one thing to let loose a handful of glowing adjectives just to butter up another during a chance encounter. It is another thing though to shell out a handsome amount just to prove his point. Our boys who impressed de la Hoya, among them our very own Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and AJ “Bazooka” Banal, have already given the Filipinos something to be proud of long before they climb the ring for their date with destiny. They have given us something that is priceless – national dignity. Are we still wondering why Boom Boom and AJ are out there while the multitude of Filipinos are down here? The gap has little to do with geography as with an invisible factor called dignity. A person who has dignity will do the right things to go places. As de la Hoya noted, they have more than just skills and athletic bodies which are a given for boxers. They have dedication, respect, desire, pride and a willingness to learn. Our boxers are expected to make it past the Mexicans this morning. Those who are able to conquer themselves will find it easier to conquer others.