By Robbie Pangilinan, Los Angeles, California
Ana Julaton and her father talk about their relationship in and out of the ring
Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton is the fastest rising star in the world of women’s boxing today. She may very well become, in the future, the female version of Manny Pacquiao as she dreams to unify the 122-pound title belts and be the undisputed Super Bantamweight Female Fighter. Ana will do what it takes to get there. And on her side of the ring, she has all the support and inspiration she needs, especially from her family.
Ana’s father and number one fan, Cesar, recalls how his daughter started with the sport. “I took her four-year-old brother to a martial arts school to see if he wanted to take self-defense lessons. Ana was with us and I saw her excitement and desire to learn. The three of us enrolled and Ana excelled in it,” the proud daddy relates. Ana was 11 years old at the time. It was also during this time when she was first exposed to boxing because one of her instructors was a professional boxer.
Soon, Ana started to compete in tournaments. Her first victory was winning the National Junior Olympics Tae Kwan Do Championships.
Ironically, Ana never wanted to be a boxer. She openly admits that she disliked the sport. “Honestly, it was hard for me to understand why two athletes would want to hurt each other,” the Fil-Am reveals. She had a fascination for martial arts and sports, though. She even studied sports nutrition in college and taught self-defense at West Wind Karate Schools. She soon fell in love with teaching. And so when her martial arts school began incorporating boxing in the system five years ago, Ana had to learn boxing, too.
“That was when boxing became her passion,” Daddy Cesar says.
Naturally, a parent would never want to see their children get hurt, hence, Ana and her father had many discussions about her pursuing boxing. “I admit I tried to point out the cons to her, just so she would think about them. Ana stuck with her decision, so as a parent I respected and supported her decision. I always told her to do what she enjoys and I am proud that she is doing what she loves,” the ever supportive daddy says.
Ana, then 18 years old, started joining competitions. She won the San Francisco Golden Gloves Silver Medal twice, in 2004 and 2005. She also bagged the Nor Cal Championship Silver Medal two times, in 2005 and 2006. Other boxing awards that Ana is most proud of are her National Golden Gloves Bronze Medal, her San Francisco Diamond Belt, being a National PAL Quarter Finalist where her match was also voted Best Fight of the Tournament, and being a quarter finalist at the United States Championship (2005). These wins made her the number 6 boxer in the United States in 2005. The next year, Ana ranked number 5 in the United States Championship Quarter Finals, also topping the National Diamond Belt Championship, the San Francisco Golden Gloves Championship, and the California State Championship. In 2007, Ana ranked second in the United States, getting the silver medal at the United States Championship and the gold at the San Francisco Championship.
But Ana’s greatest triumph is being the first Filipina-American to win the World Championship when she was proclaimed the 2009 IBA Super Bantam Weight World Champion.
“Through all these competitions, I learned a lot about myself—as a woman, an athlete and as a Filipina,” Ana says. “As I received attention as a Filipina boxer, the role grew from being an athlete to a role model for others. Professional boxing became a way of life for me. Although I don't plan on staying in the sport for long, I'd like to make the most out of it.”
The female fighting pride of the Philippines is indeed making the most in her boxing career. Just the intense training she undergoes makes her a better person. Ana works out from Monday to Saturday with a solid strength and conditioning workout at Sessions Training Center in San Francisco, California in the morning. After eating and resting, and amidst her other activities, she goes through another workout focusing on boxing techniques and sparring.
As the darling of the ring faces a tough opponent in the person of Donna Biggers on December 4, Daddy Cesar is a bit anxious and nervous as he knows his daughter now fights world class opponents. But for his not-so-little-girl, he remains confident and excited, just as he was from Ana’s first fight. “I felt very confident in her first boxing match. I had been with her through countless tournaments so I knew she had the skills to be in the ring. I just kept wondering if she would throw a kick, and of course I was very proud of her. I always want to tell everyone, that’s my daughter!,“ Daddy Cesar says.
The confident father knows his daughter too well. He says Ana’s strengths in the ring is her hand speed and confidence, but he hopes Ana will throw her combinations more frequently. Daddy Cesar also says that the timing of Ana’s foot work and punching is getting better.
Daddy’s wish for his loving and caring daughter is for the World Champion to realize her dreams and reach her goals, knowing that she has worked very hard to get where she is today.
The supportive fan has a message to the daughter he dearly loves: “I love you Ana. I am in awe of your unwavering dedication, not only to your profession but to your commitment to us, your family. Know that we are always in your corner. Go Hurricane!”
And when family is on your side of the ring, it does not matter if you win or lose. You are still the champion. And Ana is a champion—for her father, her family, for the Filipinos and for the whole world. RMP
