GAB urged to lift travel ban

The late Flash Elorde’s widow Laura, whose three sons manage about 50 pro boxers, yesterday called on the GAB to lift the travel ban on Filipino fighters in Thailand and said it was unfair to penalize legitimate matchmakers for the crime of a few unscrupulous operators.

Last April 2, GAB chairman Eric Buhain issued Resolution No. 07-09 prohibiting Filipino fighters from seeing action in Thailand in the wake of Lito Sisnorio’s death the morning after he was knocked out by former world champion Chatchai Sasakul in Samutprakarn.

Sisnorio, unlicensed by the GAB, was brought to Thailand last Jan. 14 to engage in a series of fights. He was stopped by world flyweight titlist Pongsaklek Wonjongkam last Jan. 26 and Sasakul last March 30. In between, Sisnorio was sent to Korea for a fight and lost. Without GAB notice, Sisnorio was knocked out thrice in 2 1/2 months.

Sisnorio’s stablemate Michael Rodriguez later pointed to boxing broker Bong Obero and associate Rey Paciones as the local links to Thai matchmaker Panya Prachakorn in dispatching Filipino fighters to Thailand for slaughter.

It was recently reported that the NBI has taken Obero into custody after a complaint was filed by the GAB.

The GAB order was issued two days after Sisnorio’s death but Elorde said she received a copy of the resolution only last April 23. North Cotabato Gov. Manny Pinol branded the GAB order a knee-jerk reaction to the tragedy.

"While we sympathize with the family of Lito and mourn his death as boxers are very dear to the Elordes, we vehemently and totally disagree with the policy of banning boxers to fight in Thailand," said Elorde.

"My sons Bebot, Johnny and Marty who are all promoters/managers and majority of other managers I know religiously follow your rules on sending boxers abroad. They have been complying with all the requirements, not to mention instances when our boxers will be asked to go back and forth to the boxing office for medical examinations.

"It is very unfair that we are all being penalized for what has happened. Thailand is the only Asian country which promotes regularly including world championship fights where Filipino boxers are at par with the Thais, considering the smaller weights reserved for us. Most Filipino boxers are also given the chance to fight even in the undercard which means an income for them and a chance, too, to improve their ratings and skills. Why deprive them of this chance?"

Elorde challenged Buhain to enact measures to stop mismatches abroad without prejudicing legitimate managers, matchmakers and fighters.

"It is very difficult to promote fights now in the Philippines as there are not enough sponsors," she continued. "We have to admit that only fights of Manny Pacquiao are considered by them. How can we have our young talented fighters in the smaller divisions go up the ratings and eventually land in world championship fights and produce another Pacquiao if the GAB which is supposed to protect our boxers and the sport is the one killing professional boxing?"

Elorde said she has long retired from promoting, leaving her sons to continue her husband’s legacy but will never turn her back on street boys who show up everyday at the family gym in Sucat with the dream of becoming world champions to escape a life of degradation and poverty.

Elorde offered to sponsor a meeting where legitimate boxing managers and matchmakers could discuss with Buhain how to address the problem of mismatches.

Piñol earlier said the GAB ban hurts legitimate fighters more than those unauthorized to box in Thailand. "You don’t prejudice everyone because you can’t control a situation," he said. "A ban is not a solution. The GAB has been lax for too long in not being able to do anything to stop the human trafficking of boxers. This problem isn’t new. Something must be done to stop it now before more fighters are injured or killed."