SPORTS HEROES TURNED MOVIE STARS # 3: ROLANDO NAVARRETE

Left- Boxing Fight Ad dated May 30, 1982 between Champion Rolando 'the guns of' Navarrete and callenger Rafael 'Bazooka' Limon. for the World Superfeatherweight Championship.

Right- Movie ad Teaser of Navarrete's upcoming movie, "Bad Boy From Dadiangas."

Rolando Navarette (born February 14, 1957 ), the Bad Boy from Dadiangas, rose to international fame when he knocked out Cornelius Boza Edwards in 1981 to capture the World Boxing Council super featherweight title. A native of General Santos City, Navarette became an instant toast and his feat gained him fortune and fame. He later defended it against Choi Chung-Il of South Korea. His wayward ways however later caught up with him. He eventually lost the title to Rafael 'Bazooka' Limon by technical knockout in 1982. His misfortune did not end there.

He was abandoned by his first wife and lost whatever savings he had while he was still a feared world-boxing champion. He was convicted for rape and sent to prison in Hawaii several years after he lost his crown. When he was released on humanitarian grounds, he resumed his boxing career. But he never recovered his lost glory.

After spending some time as a journeyman, he settled back in his hometown, doing some errands while being employed by the city government. Sometime in the 90s he turned bellicose and found himself in several troubles. He once cheated death when he was stabbed by a drinking companion in one of the city's beaches. That episode never changed his wayward behavior. When his job at city hall was not renewed, he started to harass city hall employees, often pushing, sometimes punching, whoever he thought had displeased him.

Today, the former world-boxing champ is a mere shadow of his old self. While he still maintains a well-chiseled body, his faculties are gone. He now walks with a gait of a punch-drunk boxer. Even his speech is so slurred, you could hardly comprehend him. He turns to the city government for assistance and would turn irrational when spurned.

Indeed, Navarette has become one of the many and countless boxers who relied on their boxing prowess but never learn to save for the future. Until then, he would continue to scrimp for alms and whatever goodwill from people who will continue to pity him.

Excerpt from an article by Edwin G. Espejo

Sun Star

Bad Boy From Dadiangas (1982)- Stars Rolando Navarrete, Amy Austria, Liz Alindogan and Isabel Rivas/ with Max Alvarado, Max Laurel, Jimmy Santos, Joaquin Fajardo and Paul Sakamoto/ Directed by Pablo Santiago

Trivia: Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao was only 2 1/2 years old when Rolando Navarette wrested the WBC Super Featherweight title from Cornelius Boza Edwards with a dramatic, stunning fifth round knockout victory in 1981.