ROBERT BYRD TAPPED TO REPLACE VIRUET IN NIETES-VELARDE TITLE FIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 14 Nov 2014
Byrd.
Internationally respected referee Robert Byrd has been tapped to replace Samuel Viruet, who had been appointed by WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel to be the third man in the ring for light flyweight champinon Donnie "Ahas" Nietes' defense ofhis title against Mexico's Carlos "Chapito" Velarde at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino tomorrow.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told the Manila Standard/Viva Sports he was against the plan of WBO Asia Pacific head Leon Panoncillo to assign Filipino Danrex Tapdasan to replace Viruet who inexplicably missed his flight and informed Panoncillo who was in China that he could not make it.
Aldeguer said he was concerned about the image of ALA Promotions and Philippine boxing if the WBO had a Filipino referee aside from Filipino judge Salven Lagumbay assigned to the Nietes-Velarde title bout and suggested they ask the WBO to name Byrd who is the referee assigned by the IBF to referee the Intercontinental super bantamweight title defense of undefeated Prince Albert Pagara to work the Nietes-Velarde fight.
ALA Promotions vice president Dennis Canete conveyed the request to Panoncillo who agreed but said he would have to talk to Byrd when he arrives in Cebu in time for the official weigh-in at Robinson's Fuente this morning.
Panoncillo was originally sceduled to arrive at 8:30 a.m, but his flight was delayed and he will arrive in time for the weigh-in.
THis reporter called Panoncillo in China yesterday (Thursday) from the press conference venue and told him the obvious objections to his plan to appoint Tapdasan pointing to the fact that the Mexican handlers were upset over his previous premature stoppage of the Jason Pagara-Mario Meraz junior lightweight fight also at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino some months ago and would raise a howl if Tapdasan was the referee.
Besides we reiterated our objections aired in the past with the assignment of a Filipino referee in major title fights which was a position supported by Aldeguer.
A final announcement is expected to made today after Panoncillo talks to Byrd although Canete believes there should be
no problem.
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