SPECIAL FEATURE: Why this Pinoy champ quit boxing to work as domestic helper in HK

Jay Solmiano rose from working as a humble janitor to become a Philippine lightweight champion and a World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim Asia Pacific light-welterweight champion.

 

But after failing in his bid to win the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation light-welterweight title last April, Solmiano has abruptly quit boxing to join the ranks of millions of Overseas Filipino Workers.

 

"I got tired of the politics involved in Philippine boxing. It's tough," said the 27-year-old Solmiano (17-3-1, 13KOs), who now works as a domestic helper in Hong Kong.

 

The tale of the southpaw from San Andres, Catanduanes is a familiar one. Solmiano was born to a family of seven and was forced to drop out of school due to poverty after much discouragement from his parents.

 

"My father told me not to go to school anymore, because I'm not capable of making money even as a kundoktor (bus assistant)," said Solmiano, who only managed to reach third-year high school. 

 

"My parents were a young couple back then, they only saw us as a burden. My upbringing taught me how to be tough."

 

At 17, he traveled to Manila along to try to make a living. He found himself at a boxing gym, where he soon found work — not as a fighter, but as a janitor.

 

Self-taught boxer

 

He was an athlete back in school, competing in track and field events. While working at the gym, he found himself imitating the professional boxers who trained there. Soon enough, despite being a self-taught boxer, he found himself entering the ring as a professional fighter, when he was handpicked as a late replacement against Michael Rosal at an event in Parañaque in 2007. 

 

"I never thought I'll be a boxer," said Solmiano. "All I wanted was to know the feeling of how it is to be a professional boxer."

 

He managed to win his first fight by split decision, and that put him on a path to becoming a boxing champion. He quit his job as a janitor, living with nine other boxers and a trainer in a small studio apartment.

 

He proved to have a knack for the sweet science, and four year later, he got a chance at the OPBF lightweight title in Japan against Nihito Arakawa.

 

Solmiano dominated Arakawa over 12 rounds, and he went into his corner after the final bell thinking that he'd won the fight. But he got a rude awakening when the verdict was announced.

 

"I lost a lot of respect in professional boxing when I lost that fight," said Solmiano of his first professional defeat.

 

"I got robbed in Japan. I reviewed the tape over and over and told myself, how could I have lost that fight? I can accept defeat if I was truly defeated. What I can't accept is a loss when I know I won."

 

Carrying on

 

Solmiano carried on fighting, even winning championships. Last April, he was booked for another OPBF title fight again in Japan, the site of his bitter first loss.

 

Against light-welterweight champion Keita Obara (10-1, 9 knockouts), Solmiano was determined to give it his all. After back and forth action in the first three rounds, Solmiano managed to drop his Japanese foe in round three with a straight left.

 

But once again, Solmiano got the raw end of the deal after the referee ruled that Obara had slipped.

 

Obara boxed and timed Solmiano cautiously in round four. Solmiano targeted the Japanese fighter's body with a one-two combination, but was left open for a left-hook counter. 

 

That punch dropped the Filipino face first on the canvas.

 

Solmiano would beat the count, but was obviously hurt and ready for the taking. Solmiano fought on but eventually got caught again with a straight right. He dropped a second time and was counted out for good with 1:50 in round four.

 

Rear view mirror

 

Just four months later, Solmiano is settled into his job in Hong Kong, and he talks about boxing like it's in the rear view mirror.

 

"I don't know if I would ever fight again. What's important to me is to have a living and save up for my future," said Solmiano. "I can still make a living even without boxing anyway." 

For now, the only battles he wages are against the pangs of loneliness being away from his wife and his kid.

 

There's a little part of him, however, that thinks that he hasn't done everything he can in the ring.

 

"I still believe that I can still be a world champion. I leave my fate to the Lord," he said.

 

JM Siasat is a sports journalist based in Manila, Philippines. He can be reached at jmsiasat@ymail.com. Follow him on Twitter @jmsiasat