Mitra dismayed by WBA

GAB chairman Baham Mitra is lacing up the gloves to face the WBA in behalf of prejudiced Filipino fighters and he’s hoping to arrange a dialogue before his term ends with the election of a new Philippine president. Mitra isn’t backing down and recently wrote a strong letter addressed to WBA president Jesus Mendoza detailing grievances that have been ignored by the governing body since 2019.

Mitra said out of respect, the WBA should at least acknowledge receipt of his previous letters and his latest which was dated Jan. 22. The past letters complained about the stripping of super WBA welterweight ruler Manny Pacquiao’s title for inactivity despite the pandemic in 2021. In his latest communication, Mitra protested the disputed loss of regular WBA minimumweight beltholder Vic Saludar to Erick Rosa by a split decision in the Dominican Republic last December and the delay in awarding Saludar his purse. He also brought up the issue raised by boxing manager Gerry Balmes regarding Filipino challenger ArAr Andales’ defeat to super WBA minimumweight champion Knockout CP Freshmart by a technical decision in Thailand in 2019.

Balmes wrote the WBA insisting Korean referee Kwan Ho Jang was mistaken in ruling that Freshmart’s cut on the left eyelid was caused by an accidental headbutt, that it was inflicted by a legitimate blow and Andales should’ve won by technical knockout. The WBA never replied.

In his latest letter, Mitra pointed out that Panamanian referee Guillermo Perez Pineda called a knockdown against Saludar in the ninth round when it was clear that no punch landed and should’ve been ruled a slip. The phantom knockdown caused Saludar to lose the title. With GAB’s endorsement, Saludar’s manager Kenneth Rontal had earlier written the WBA to protest the composition of the Hispanic judges. One judge was from Puerto Rico, another from Venezuela and the third from Rosa’s home country. Rontal said they could hardly be considered neutral and appealed for the WBA to declare Saludar the first challenger of the Freshmart-Rosa unification winner.

Regarding Pacquiao, Mitra said he sent two letters to the WBA protesting the dethronement but “not one reply was received by GAB.” The letters were dated Jan. 9, 2021 and June 6, 2021, emailed to Mendoza with copies furnished to three high-ranking WBA officials. Mitra said his letters were totally ignored.

Mitra said he is calling the WBA to an “urgent constructive dialogue” and like the WBC, IBF and WBO, it should communicate with GAB “to effectively resolve issues, with accord and unanimity.” Mitra added that the WBA regional leadership, through Won Kim, “should make more effective its communication with GAB” and “we hope that this suggested dialogue, which would spur prosperity, unity and growth of professional boxing in the Philippines and strengthen WBA roots in the Philippines, would be done in the most immediate time possible.” So far, no response from the WBA and Mitra is ready to rumble.