GAB opens door for dialogue

Last week, GAB chairman Abraham Mitra welcomed promoters, managers, trainers and fighters to the government agency’s office in Makati in a continuing dialogue to improve the state of boxing in the country. Dialogues are held once or twice a year in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The recent get-together was for Luzon.

Among those who attended were OPBF flyweight champion Jay-R Raquinel, OPBF minimumweight titlist Lito Dante, IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas’ manager and trainer Joven Jimenez, unbeaten world-ranked featherweight Mark Magsayo’s wife Frances, Philippine Boxing Federation middleweight ruler Prabjhot Singh, Rey Rodis of the Global Boxing Organization, promoters Johnny and Liza Elorde, Bebot Elorde and Brico Santig, and ring officials Ver Abainza, Elmo Coloma and Alfie Jacosol. Assisting Mitra in conducting the dialogue were GAB commissioner Ed Trinidad, Atty. Omar Benitez, Jackie Cacho and Tony Comia of the boxing division and Dr. Radentor Viernes.

Mitra said he went over the GAB rules to make sure everyone’s on the same page. An issue that was discussed was the restriction on fighters accepting assignments abroad. The rule is a boxer is allowed to fight overseas if he has won two of his last five outings and one of his last two. It used to be stricter before but the GAB has extended the period of reckoning from three to five bouts. Mitra said the ban on Filipinos fighting in Indonesia and Thailand remains because of lack of safety controls by the local commissions.

Another rule that was taken up was how long a fighter may sign a contract with a manager. The GAB rule sets a maximum of four years. During the meeting, a manager suggested up to eight years and another, up to six. But the GAB stood firm on the limit of four so as to give a boxer a chance to explore other opportunities and not tie him down for a long stretch. A manager argued that it sometimes takes four years to develop a world-rated boxer so if the limit for a contract is four years, it may not be enough time to recover an investment in a fighter. Before a boxer can move up to 10 rounds, he must win at least two four-rounders, two six-rounders and two eight-rounders as a general rule. That means he can theoretically engage in a tenner in his seventh bout, which may take at least two years.

There have been several recent cases of boxers leaving their managers or promoters. Former two-time world champion Johnriel Casimero is now managed by MP Promotions with Nonoy Neri as his trainer but still has contractual obligations with Cebu’s Sammy Gello-ani. Even Las Vegas-based former WBA superlightweight champion and now trainer Morris East is claiming a stake in Casimero. It took former two-time world champion and now promoter Gerry Peñalosa to arrange a settlement for Casimero.

Another fighter OPBF lightflyweight champion Edward Heno is contractually tied up with Baguio’s Anson Tiu Co but has moved to Marty Elorde’ camp. An arrangement has been agreed between Co and Elorde to advance Heno’s career. Still another case involves Magsayo who is in court to dispute a promotional contract claimed by the ALA Group. Mitra said as much as possible, he’d like to settle every dispute at the GAB level and not go to court.

Mitra said the GAB rules on rest periods will remain unless there are justifiable grounds for exceptions. Fighters may fight only in 45-day intervals. A loser on points has a mandatory rest period of 60 days and a loser by knockout, 90 days. “We try to be flexible to accommodate reasonable requests,” he said. For instance, a fighter who won by a first round knockout and hardly raised a sweat may request for a shorter interval before seeing action once more.

Mitra said the key is to open the lines of communications. “We’ll listen to every stakeholder and discuss how to best resolve issues,” he said. “We’re grateful to Sen. Manny Pacquiao for breathing new life to Philippine boxing and giving opportunities for so many of our boxing talents to become champions. The GAB will support every effort to promote Philippine boxing and safeguard the welfare of our fighters.”