The Philippine Online Chronicles

ZC “Z Gorres” Oliveros, the champion boxer who suffered from a “career-ending” brain injury following his Las Vegas win three months ago, is back in the country after undergoing two successful operations.

Gorres, accompanied by his wife Datches, attending physician Dr. Ben Calderon, and manager Michael Aldeguer, arrived from the United States at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 at around 5:00 a.m. Tuesday. He left for his home province Cebu at 9:00 a.m.

The fallen boxer said he is overjoyed at his return and is looking forward to be reunited with his children Dheybert, 7; Sheiladhey, 5; Zhey, 3; and Khodney, five months old.

“Talagang masayang-masaya po ako nakabalik na ako sa Pilipinas. Makikita ko na po sa muli sa wakas ang mga anak ko (I am very happy to be back in the Philippines. I will finally see my children again),” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN.

End of his career

Although Gorres's condition continues to improve, his return to the boxing ring is seen as a “very remote possibility.”

“Sabi po ni Dr. Calderon, hindi na raw dahil sa utak raw po yung surgery (According to Dr. Calderon, I should no longer return to boxing because I have already undergone brain surgery)” he said when asked about his chances of making a comeback.

After recovering from two major brain surgeries, Gorres can now move the left side of his body, which was initially paralyzed from the injury, and could already walk short distances on his own. He was even able to watch at ringside last Saturday's (Sunday in Manila) Pinoy Power 3/ Latin Fury 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada to show support for fellow Filipino boxers Bernabe Concepcion, Nonito Donaire Jr., Gerry Peñalosa, and Ciso Morales.

Gorres was supposed to be part of the Las Vegas bout if not for the devastating brain injury.

Gorres fought against Melendez in Las Vegas in November and was declared winner in the 10-round fight via unanimous decision. He collapsed shortly after the announcement and was rushed to the University Medical Center (UMC) where he fell into a coma.

Doctors performed two major operations on Gorres – the first to remove a blood clot on his brain, and the other to put back a portion of his skull that was removed on the first surgery.

"Z-Gorres bill"

Meanwhile, a group of law students from the University of Las Vegas Nevada (ULVN) are shedding a new light on the plight of Filipino boxers amid the tragedy. The students, along with their professor Robert Correales, are seeking for the enactment of a bill that would provide a substantial increase in the insurance coverage of fighters like Gorres.

Fresh law graduate Jamie Martinez, who met with Gorres at the UMC, said she admired the courage displayed by the Filipino boxer and was inspired to pursue help for the embattled boxer.

One of Gorres's biggest beneficiaries is none other than world boxing "pound-for-pound" king Manny Pacquiao, who recently held a benefit concert for Gorres in the US while training for his bout with Joshua Clottey on March 13.

The benefit dinner would reportedly raise around $500,000 or P23.5 million, according to one of Pacquiao's advisers Mike Koncz.

Senator Lito Lapid also pledged an undisclosed amount for the Filipino fighter.

Gorres' medical bills have surged to $562,000 or P26 million from the time he was admitted at the UMC.

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