NINE-year-old Aaron Manuel, all 4 feet and 69 pounds of him, sat in a folding chair at Waipahu Gym as he watched Jesus Salud snap lightning combinations into his trainer's flat gloves. When the 34-year-old former World Boxing Association featherweight champion finally stepped down from the ring late yesterday afternoon, Manuel walked up to him and motioned for him to look at two trophies sitting on a nearby table.
Salud's sweat-soaked face broke into a smile and he put his hand on the boy's brush cut.
"These are yours?" asked Salud, flashing a look of genuine interest. The boy smiled shyly and nodded.
"The next Jesus Salud," said someone in the background of the old gym, festooned with yellowed newspaper clippings and fight posters of Salud, Andy Ganigan and other champions."May-be, may-be," said Salud, his smile even broader as he deliberately pronounced the syllables, his attention focused directly on the excited youngster. Al Silva, Salud's aging mentor, grinned as he sat by the door of
the gym. David Love, his trainer of two years, leaned over the table to offer encouragement to the starry-eyed Manuel.
Silva and Love have often witnessed this scenario: Salud making his littlest fans feel like they're on equal terms with him for a few shining moments. It was two days before a 10-round fight with Thailand's Sairoong Suwannaslip at the Blaisdell Arena -- a fighter 12 years Salud's junior -- but the veteran still had time for a kid who came to watch him train.
"The first time I came here, he was staring at me, and everything I'd do, he'd follow me," Salud said with a chuckle. "It seemed like he wanted to know what I do. It makes me feel good that he wants to show me his trophies."
Salud, dressed in black sweat pants and a black T-shirt, unwrapped his hands as he took a deep, easy breath -- the kind of breath a man takes when he's happy to be home.
"I'm proud that they come to me and ask me questions," he said. "And I love sharing my thoughts with them. I feel this way especially because I have two kids of my own now. A lot of kids don't have a goal in their lives, but these kids want to make something of themselves."
Salud, who has a career record of 55-9 with 31 knockouts, cocked his head and frowned in reverie.
"When I was kid, I was the same way, very curious," he said. "I watched tapes of (Roberto) Duran, watched the way fighters train. And even now I talk to Archie Moore at the gym on Sundays in San Diego. I'm still learning and I respect a great deal what he has to say. He's an old man, but he's a legend."Salud said he believes boxing is a means to a noble end for the youth of America.
"The thing about boxing is that it's one-on-one, and you have to work hard to get where you're going -- just like in life," he said. "You have to earn it. You put a lot in and you get a lot out of it."
Salud said he will finish his pro career in Hawaii within the next two years. Although born in Manila, this is where he was raised and this is where he learned to fight.
He admits being homesick, although he's long lived in San Diego with his wife and family.
"I love the people here. It's different from the way it is around the world. I feel the aloha spirit of the people," he said. "When I hear the ovation and people calling my name, I get Adrenalin and extra strength."
Little is known about Suwannaslip, a southpaw who is reportedly 22 years old with a record of 24-4, including nine knockouts.
The unusual thing about this Salud opponent is that he's had a longer career as a Muaythai kick boxer -- he started competing in Muaythai at age 13 and has a 154-6 record. It allows the use of feet, knees, and elbows.
"I hope he doesn't start using his feet," Silva said.
"He's a good fighter," Love said. "I've seen films on him. The only thing we're concerned about is that he has a tendency to head-butt. We don't consider him a real dangerous puncher. He moves to the side well, backs up well. He's a good counter-puncher."
Salud said he is ready for the fouls.
"I'll just have to keep my hands up," he said. "I've seen all kinds of things in the ring."Love said Salud has worked out some imperfections under his tutelage.
"He's not dragging his back foot so much," Love said. "He had the same habit Ken Norton had of dragging that foot like a mummy. But we've got it up to where he has a lot more balance. And his defense is better as he's starting to bob under punches now and starting to block and counter. There was a time when he would block but not counter."
As for Salud's advancing ring age, Love said there are things Salud can no longer afford to do.
"He can't take as many chances," Love said. "He can't make any serious mistakes."
Suwannaslip has trained for the fight for three months. Salud has had less time to prepare after knocking out Manuel Arellano in the second round of a fight in Tijuana in September.
This will be Salud's first fight in Hawaii since he stopped Michael Galatti in the fourth round in May 1996.
It will be his second match since losing a nationally televised 12-round decision in February to Kevin Kelley in a World Boxing Union featherweight title fight in New York.
He hopes to have a shot at a WBO title fight early next year.
"I'm not getting beat up like other fighters my age, so I'm still in the game," he said.
Salud said he would like to have his next title fight in Honolulu.
"I miss my mom's home cooking," he said.
Fight facts
What Pro boxing. Main event featuring Jesus Salud (55-9, 31 KOs) vs. Sairoong Suwannaslip (21-4 9 KOs)
