By Ted Sares – When you google Czar Amonsot at Boxrec at Boxrec Boxing Encyclopedia, the following appears: “A once promising contender forced to retire due to injuries suffered in his memorable war with Michael Katsidis.” Most boxing fans surely will recall that his career was almost ended when a speck of blood was discovered outside his brain after the bloody brawl with Australia’s Katsidis, but “almost” means just that, almost.
Dan Rafael, the excellent writer for ESPN.com, did a 2007 piece that stated in part: “…Lightweight Czar Amonsot of the Philippines, who suffered a subdural hematoma — bleeding on the brain — during his decision loss to Michael Katsidis last Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, was released from Valley Medical Center on Wednesday, Golden Boy Promotions announced..
“Amonsot, 21, was knocked down in the second and 10th rounds of the brutal slugfest and lost a unanimous decision to Katsidis in an interim lightweight title bout on the Bernard Hopkins-Winky Wright under card.
“After the fight, ringside medical personnel sent Amonsot (18-3-1, 10 KOs) to the hospital as a precaution. The small brain bleed was discovered during an MRI exam.
“Czar has been released from the hospital and will arrive back in Manila on Saturday morning,” manager Michael Aldaguer said.
“Under Nevada rules, any fighter suffering a subdural hematoma, no matter how small, can’t be licensed in the state. Amonsot’s career, at least in the United States, is probably over….”
Fast forward to January 31, 2009
Before a hugh and enthusiastic crowd at the jam-packed Island City Mall car park in beautiful Tagbilaran City, Bohol, the Philippines, exciting homeboy lightweight Czar Amonsot (18-3-1, 10 KO’s) showed no signs of his savage take-it-to-the-brink war with Australia’s Michael Katisidis in Las Vegas in July 2007, as he slaughtered Indonesian opponent Zoel Fidal in five rounds. In a card dubbed as ‘They Are Back.’ A strong body shot dropped Fidal for the first time in the second and then a slashing left cross sent him crashing to the deck in the fifth stanza where referee Delbert Peligrino then counted out the overmatched Indonesian. It was his fifth loss in his last six outings. Earlier in his career, he had been knocked out by common opponent Indonesian Simson “The Terminator” Butar-Butar, but more about that later.
So what has happened between the Katsidis war and the Fidal bout that could allow “The Czar of Bohol” to fight again? For one thing, the southpaw from Bohol still showcases a powerful right hook and shows no signs of ring rust in his sparring. Moreover, the long layoff and an excellent conditioning program he went on paid great dividends as he clearly had not lost faith or focus. But most importantly, a series of tests including MRI’s and CTScans plus a clearance from noted neurosurgeon Dr. Almario Jabson and the Philippine Games and Amusements Board allowed the all-action southpaw to fight Fidal (16-6-2 coming in). Still, was this enough to erase any lingering questions about his condition?
Well, as Ronnie Nathanielsz reported, in part, in an excellent piece dated January 6, 2009 (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/01/ 06/09/ filipino-boxer-amonsot-cleared- fight):
“…The MRI signed by pathologist Mary Jo Sarino Alfonso M.D. said the “comparative evaluation reveal complete clearing the previously reported focal area of abnormal signals” and that there was “no demonstrable intra or extra cerebral hemorrhage.“
“The findings showed “complete resolution of the previously reported cortical hemorrhage in the left temporal and left occipital lobe regions” and that there was “no evidence of intra or extra-cerebral hemorrhage.” The MRI also showed “no demonstrable intracranial mass or signal abnormality….”
Earlier, the July 29 edition of the Sun Star Cebu reported (Rommel C. Manlosa
Sun.Star Staff Reporter) as follows:
“…After everything is cleared, Golden Boy Promotion promised to give Amonsot another fight, a world championship that is, because they are very much satisfied by his performance and they believe Amonsot can be a champion maybe at the age of 26 or 28,” said Cebuano international promoter Sammy Gello-ani.
“Gello-ani showed to the media the complete medical record and the films of the CT Scan and MRI of Amonsot that showed his injury is healing fast…”
Indeed, all the articles and reports that are entitled something to the effect, “Czar Amonsot Has Been Cleared To Fight Again,” are too numerous to cite here. Suffice to say, The Czar has been cleared.
The point, however, is that many had rushed to judgment as to whether he should ever be allowed to fight again. Perhaps his successful return last night evidences that it pays to wait and see what develops. Whether he will be allowed to fight in Las Vegas remains to be seen, but if he is, then the issue will become moot once and for all.
Simson “The Terminator” Butar-Butar (2005)
On February 15, 2005, Butar-Butar fought an undefeated Czar Amonsot at the RCTI Studio in Jakarta, Indonesia and stopped his streak eight straight (seven by stoppage) with a fifth round TKO. Butar was 10-3-1 at the time and curiously, he would lose his next to none other than Fahsan 3K Battery, 33-8-1 coming in. He would later ice one Zoel Fidal in 5 but lose to Wethya Sakmuangklang, with a gaudy 66-4 record at the time. The ways of boxing in Asia are indeed interesting.
Butar-Butar (2006)
On September 9, 2006, or less than a year before The Czar fought Katsidis in their memorable war, he fought Butar-Butar again, this time for vacant WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight title. At the 47 second mark, “The Terminator” terminated Amonsot with a one punch icing that was as chilling as anything you will ever see. The Czar went down, then got up then went down and then wobbled across the ring. It was reminiscent of Berbick-Tyson but far more decisive. Butar has since faded, however, losing every time he steps up which has been often
Five months later, Amonsot won a SD over Korean lightweight champion Da-Woon Jung to regain the vacant WBO Asia Pacific lightweight title in Seoul which ended the South Korean’s career, but may have sent Czar into the Katsidis bout in less than 100% shape. A visiting fighter winning an SD’s in Seoul is not a common occurrence.
At any rate, God forbid what this fighter is capable of when he is fully fit and ready because guys like Czar Amonsot (and Katsidis for that matter) only come along once and a while.
They are the warriors who do battle without regard to their own well being; they are warriors. Welcome back!