DON'T BLAME ME - Cepeda: For Espinosa's Failure To Fight Here

Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Chairman Dominador Cepeda said yesterday he's not to blame for failing to extract the April 14 fight between Luisito Espinosa and Guty Espadas from Mexico.

The bout for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title will be held in Merida, Espadas' hometown, after no Filipino promoter could raise the $150,000 site fee for Top Rank to consider relocating to Manila before the March 10 deadline.

Cepeda called it a "misimpression" that the GAB should initiate negotiations for a fight. He explained that private promoters had sought government assistance to finance fights here in the past - not the GAB because the agency is empowered by law strictly to supervise and regulate professional sports.

"It is not the GAB's function to promote or raise funds for a fight," said Cepeda. "If, for instance, I initiate the negotiations, my motives will be suspect. It would conflict with my authority to supervise and regulate. I would be answerable to the Ombudsman."

Cepeda denied allegations that he never publicized the purse bidding for the fight. "The bid was publicized in the newspapers, including The STAR - Luisito knew about it, so did his manager Boots Aniel," continued Cepeda. "In fact, in my capacity as GAB Chairman, I was able to convince the WBC to give Luisito a 55 percent share of the purse bid, not the usual 50."

Cepeda said he was also in contact with Philip Juico who tried to make a bid for the Araneta Coliseum.

Cepeda disclosed that last Thursday night, he got a call from President Estrada who ordered him to raise the $150,000 site fee for the fight. The next morning, Cepeda wrote and sent a letter requesting for P12 million from PAGCOR to fund the site fee. But later that same day, WBC President Jose Sulaiman phoned Cepeda from Mexico City informing him that it was too late to move the fight from Merida.

After Sulaiman's call, Cepeda phoned President Estrada. What Cepeda heard on the phone wasn't pleasant.

"I'm not ashamed to admit the President scolded me," said Cepeda. "When I told the President the bad news, he was peeved. Sabi ni Presidente, dapat naasikaso ko earlier. But I only hope the President understands the GAB's situation. Negotiating for a fight has never been done by the GAB and should never be done. It is the job of a fighter's manager to negotiate, not the GAB's."

Besides, Cepeda said a P12 million budget wouldn't be enough. He said Sulaiman explained that beyond the $150,000 site fee, Top Rank would've charged the Filipino group its $253,000 purse bid to bring the fight to Manila.

The hosts also would've had to pay air fares and first-class hotel accommodations for 10 visitors plus the purses for the undercard and promotional expenses.

As a consolation, Sulaiman assured Cepeda that Espinosa will not get a raw deal in Merida. Sulaiman said, "I will be there and I will watch over your boy -- Bob Arum (of Top Rank) is a fair man."

The problem is Sulaiman made the same assurance before Espinosa fight and lost his WBC featherweight crown to Cesar Soto in El Paso last May.