Guanzon Signs First Boxing Doc as GAB Commissioner
By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 17 Nov 2007
The first piece of paper handed to newly appointed Games and Amusement Board (GAB) commissioner Juan Ramon ?Monju? Guanzon by boxing chief Dr. Nasser Cruz for Guanzon?s official signature was a request letter from Rolly Lunas Matsushita, a Japan-based Filipino Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) 118-lb champion, asking for endorsement from the GAB to the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) to allow the boxer to return to Kanazawa, Japan immediately so he could resume his training.
The letter, written in Tagalog and drafted by Matsushita (the boxer?s adopted surname in Japan) while the 45th WBC Convention in Manila Hotel was ongoing, was actually addressed to GAB chairman Eric R. Buhain but it needed the signatures of the two commissioners?Guanzon and Angel Bautista?before it can be forwarded to Buhain?s office for signature, said Cruz.
?What?s this?? inquired the neophyte commissioner when Cruz handed the paper during the dinner at the convention hall Nov. 13.
?Mr. Commissioner, it needs your signature before I will turn it over to Chairman Buhain. This is how we do it here,? Cruz replied.
After reading the letter, Guanzon, a former Bacolod city councilor and one of the brains behind the creation of the now defunct Visayas inter-city novice amateur boxing championship in 1996, inked his signature.
Matsushita arrived in the country together with his manager Naoyuki Kashimi for the convention attended by 650 delegates from Asia, United States, Africa and Europe.
Kashimi lobbied for his ward, who is rated No. 6, to earn a title shot at the WBC bantamweight title currently worn by Hozumi Hasegawa.
The Japanese manager?s bone of contention is that among the OPBF titlists this year, it was Matsushita who logged at least three spectacular TKO wins; first when he dethroned by technical decision former world champion Malcolm Tu?aco in January 13; second when he stopped Thai Wiwatthananonth in the 11th stanza in April 1; and when he annihilated Masayuki Mitani in the 12th round in August 12.
?Ah amo gali ni ang record ni Rolly Lunas?? (So this is the record of Rolly Lunas Matsushita),? commented Guanzon
Top photo: FIRST DOCUMENT SIGNED. (L-R) GAB Commissioners Angel Bautista and Juan Ramon "Monju" Guanzon, Alex Vidal, LTFRB Western Visayas Director Perry Clavel and GAB boxing chief Dr. Nasser Cruz pose shortly after the signing of Matsushita's travel document at the Manila Hotel.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.
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