BOXER REVEALS ILLEGAL PRACTICE BY THAIS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 13 Apr 2007
A Filipino boxer who sneaked out of the country to engage in mismatches in Thailand without the proper clearance from the Games and Amusements Board says the Thais engage in the illegal practice of putting white cement on the hand wrappings of Thai fighters.
Known as "Plaster of Paris" which is used in making casts on injured feet or arms, the substance hardens when its wet adding power to a fighter’s punches. The boxer who used the name Boy Marco but is believed to be minimum weight Michael Rodriguez told ABS-CBN “that’s why their punches are really hard even with gloves.”
The boxer alleged that the Thais were “mad at Lito Sisnorio after he snatched the WBC Youth title” from world-ranked and undefeated Fahpetchnoi and when Sisnorio fought reigning world champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in January he may have been badly hit on the head. Despite a fourth round stoppage Sisnorio fought former world champion Chatchai Sasakul last March 30 and was knocked out in the fourth round. Hours later he died after undergoing brain surgery.
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach, prior to Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao’s battle with Marco Antonio Barrera in November 2003 said Barrera’s handlers did the same thing and after Roach raised a howl it was prevented.
Internationally respected referee Bruce Mc Tavish of New Zealand who has lived in the Philippines for over 40 years said he has always advocated that fighters put on their gloves only after they enter the ring so the referee and the handlers of the opponent can check the hand wrapping but regrettably the old practice has been discontinued apparently because of the demands of television time.
Mc Tavish who has always advocated safety measures to protect fighters also advocated that instructions to the boxers be given by the referee the day before the fight so the boxers can concentrate when they enter the ring. Mc Tavish said he did this in the Manny Pacquiao-Oscar Larios fight in Manila last July and both fighters appreciated it. He said referees apparently want to appear on TV and try to look good and authoritative when giving instructions the day before would help the boxers as well as the referee.
Mc Tavish said that Luis Escalon, Medical & Safety chairman of the WBC has endorsed his suggestions about the gloves and the referee’s instructions.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Pakistan's Sameer Khan Set to Battle for UBO Youth World Title in Brico Santig’s Sep 27 Show in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Tue, 16 Sep 2025Crawford Not the First Lightweight to Distinguish Himself at Super Middleweight
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Tue, 16 Sep 2025SAMBO Pilipinas is Southern NSA of the Year 2025
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 16 Sep 2025Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh To headline historic “Legacy Nights” Inaugural Pro Boxing event in El Salvador
Tue, 16 Sep 2025Smarts over power
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 16 Sep 2025HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION RICKY HATTON
Tue, 16 Sep 2025Kazakhstan tops the medal table at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 thanks to victory in the final bout of the competition
Tue, 16 Sep 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
By Maloney L. Samaco, Mon, 15 Sep 2025A New King, A New Challenger: Turki Alalshikh Proposes Crawford-Benavidez While Canelo Alvarez Faces Defeat with Humility
By Dong Secuya, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Highly Questionable Title Eliminator
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Earns Silver Medal at Inaugural World Boxing Championships
Mon, 15 Sep 202521-year-old Filipino wins at Germany rapid chess tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
Mon, 15 Sep 2025