Brain injury ends boxing career of Mandaue prize fighter
As the country celebrates the historic feat of Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquaio, Cebuanos are saddened by the fate of one of its own fighters. The boxing career of Z “The Dream” Gorres is over after he suffered a serious head injury during his bout with Luis Melendez of Columbia at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas last Saturday. Gorres won the match but his manager Antonio Aldeguer said that would be his last one following his operation at the University Medical Center to remove a blood clot in the brain. “When you get an injury like that, it’s very rare that that you can fight again,” said Aldeguer, owner of ALA Boxing Gym and ALA Promotion. He said he could help Gorres find other jobs, including work as a trainer especially since Gorres is respected by fellow boxers and has enough experience to teach.
Like Aldeguer, Games and Amusement Board boxing division chief Nasser Cruz ruled out chances of the 27-year-old Mandaue prize fighter returning to the ring as a competitor. “Well, he can be a boxing trainer after he recovers,” he told Philboxing.com. Gorres collapsed in his corner after winning a 10-round non-title fight against Melendez on Nov. 13 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. The boxer suffered a subdural hematoma, wherein blood collects on the surface of the brain. Emergency surgery was performed by Dr. Michael Seiss, neurosurgeon, to remove the blood clot.
According to Medline Plus, acute subdural hematomas are among the deadliest of head injuries, which often results in brain injury. Bleeding fills the brain area rapidly, compressing brain tissue. Gorres, 27, who started training at the ALA stable at the age of nine, is the number two bantamweight contender in the world. He was scheduled to face WBO bantamweight champion, Fernando Montiel from Mexico on Feb. 13, next year.
He and wife Datches live in barangay Ibabao, Mandaue City with their four children aged seven, five, three and five months old. They have another house in barangay Canduman. His family, fellow athletes and friends are urging fellow Cebuanos to pray that Gorres would fully recover. Datches, 25, kept her hopes up that her husband will survive the medical crisis. She went to the Marian shrine in Simala, Sibonga town last Sunday to pray for his speedy recovery. “He is a fighter. He will not surrender for us,” she said in Cebuano.
Datches said she learned about his collapse in an Internet cafe. She went on line to find out what happened after she didn’t receive a call or or text message from her husband. She said she had to control her emotions but cried when she arrived home. Gorres had planned to hold a party for Datches’ 26th birthday on Dec. 3. His wife said Gorres also wanted to use part of his prize money to buy a computer for his eldest son who is in Grade 1. Now all she asks for is that Gorres come home safe. The boxer’s manager plans to bring her to the United States once her visa is processed, to be at Gorres’ side.
According to Aldeguer, Gorres is under sedation at the ICU of the University Medical Center, where the boxer has to stay for one week. Then Gorres has to spend over a month at the hospital for observation and rehabilitation. The update was given by Aldeguer’s son, Michael who is in Las Vegas. Cruz also told Philboxing.com that Gorres, nicknamed “Butchoy,” may undergo a series of rehabilitation and have to stay for a while in the United States. “But it won’t be too long. The longest may be one month.” Gorres’ medical bills are covered by insurance since he’s a licensed professional boxer under the Nevada States Athletic Commission, assured Cruz. Gorres’ fight was promoted by Top Rank and MP Promotions of Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
The boxer’s family in Cebu is also supposed to receive some assistance from the social fund of the Philippine government. The Games and Amusement Board will have to meet to discuss the matter, said Cruz. The boxer gave thumbs up sign when he was asked by the head nurse, said Aldeguer, who received a text update from his son, Michael, who was with Gorres about 3 a.m. yesterday. It’s a good sign that he could follow a command, he said. All vital signs are stable and normal, he added. Aldeguer said he told that Gorres could already breathe on his own and that his oxygen respirator would be removed any time. “The brain is very much alive and active. It is still swelling due to the impact when his head was hit,” said Aldeguer. He receives updates from his two sons in Las Vegas who stay at Gorres’ bedside.
Once Gorres recovers, Aldeguer said the young man would have to quit professional boxing. He said he could give Gorres some money to start a business. Gorres started training with ALA when he was nine years old and became known as a “master of defense” because he didn’t get hit often. But in the Las Vegas fight, a single blow to the head did him in. Datches agreed that Gorres should retire from the competitive sport but said the decision was up to his manager.
“Kung ako lang gyud pabut-on, ganahan gyud ko nga muundang siya, pasalamat na lang gani mi nga ok na siya karon, pero ganahan gyud ko nga muundang na siya. Pero lage iya man nang life ang boxing gud, naa ran a niya ug sa iyang manager, (If I were to decide, I want him to quit. I am grateful that he is all right but I want him to stop. But boxing has been his life. It is up to his manager),” said Datches. The mother of four said they could look for another means to earn a living. She said Gorres is a Computer Science graduate and resourceful.
Gorres ’s fellow Ala Gym boxers went to the Basilica del Sto. Niño and the Marian Shrine in Simala to pray for his recovery. They will also hold a Mass today for Gorres at the ALA gym. Boxer Michael Dominggo said they were affected by what happened to Gorres since they know that it could happen to them too as part of the risk of being a boxer. They condition themselves to deal with these risks, he said. “Anugon kaayo si Gorres kay bata pa,” said boxing fan Rey Canoy.
“ Unya limpyo pa gyud muduwa, taas pa unta na siya ug maabtan (It’s such a waste since Gorres was still young. And he plays clean. He could have gone a long way).” Canoy watched Gorres’ fight with Melendez and admired the young boxer’s determination to win. Gorres’ neighbors Boy Wamar and Maximo Medaros in Mandaue City said Gorres could have been the next Pacquiao. “Idol gyud na namo siya. Mayo gud na muduwa. Ako gyud na nako siyang gisundan sukad pa sauna,”said Wamar.
Source: Cebu Daily News