Navarrete gets rid of ‘Bad Boy’ image

Long before Manny Pacquiao, there was Rolando Navarrette.

Known during his heyday as the Bad Boy from Dadiangas, Navarrete reigned as World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion from August 1981 until May 1982.

Though his stranglehold on the WBC 130-lb title was brief, his appeal and popularity in the country was like that of Pacquiao, who, incidentally is also from Dadiangas (now General Santos City). Navarrete hardly leaves General Santos City and is a perennial presence at the city’s famed fish port.

Yeah, Navarrete doesn’t work there but he goes there a lot.

Given his storied past, Navarrete gets way with almost every mischief he commits while walking around the area in search of that tasty tuna he’s been eyeing. “Nobody confronts him,” a provincemate of Navarrete, said, laughing.

Liza could be right. Lando seems to be a nice guy after all.

Once Navarrete makes his choice from among the high-grade seafoods being prepared for shipment and importation, he just picks it up and goes home.

“People have become used to his mischiefs,” added the fellow, the smile on his face, still evident.

But the past few days, Navarrete, who retired in 1991 after compiling a 56-15-3 record, has been prim and proper not because he has decided to become well-behaved.

Fresh from turning 66 years old, Navarrete is in town as a special guest of the Elorde family.

Around this time every year, the Elordes hold a Banquet of Champions and Awards Night to celebrate Flash Elorde’s birthday every 25 March.

Navarrete and ring heroes of yesteryears are usually brought to Manila so they could attend the event with the Elordes picking up the tab. Navarrete’s case is special.

“We call him up and send him a (roundtrip) airplane ticket aside from giving him pocket money,” Liza Elorde, husband of Johnny Elorde, said.

“Lando (Navarrete’s nickname) is okay and you can talk to him and you’ll be surprised that he can carry on a conversation.”

Not only that.

When the Daily Tribune ran into him yesterday, Navarrete was more than welcome to strike a pose and shadowbox.

After throwing punches whistling punches in the air, he bowed his head and walked away.

Liza could be right. Lando seems to be a nice guy after all.