Bad News, Good News
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 19 Jul 2020
First the bad news.
In an unfortunate outside the ring double whammy, two Pinoy fighters had their scheduled potentially career boosting bouts in the US cancelled for health and medical reasons, one related to Covid-19.
John Vincent Moralde tested positive for the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on Friday (Thursday in the United States) resulting in the postponement of his Top Rank bout with Alexis Del Bosque of Mexico at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Moralde made the admission in an online chat with The Manila Times on Saturday night but said that he was asymptomatic. The 26-year-old General Santos City native, who is now on quarantine in a Las Vegas hotel, was scheduled to fight last July 16.
Earlier, Mark John Yap failed to meet the limit for his featherweight bout against three time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga that would have headlined Top Rank on ESPN last Wednesday also in Las Vegas He tipped the scales at 136.7 lbs nearly nine pounds over the contracted weight.
Yap who had fought as bantamweight just a couple of years ago blamed the short two weeks notice and a faulty personal weight scale for failing to meet the weight.
Lessons:
Boxers have to make sure they are Covid free in order to engage in a fight or even training.
It is also more advisable for boxers to heed the advise of the true professional boxing greats to stay in shape rather than get into shape.
These lessons are particularly relevant to our fighters with scheduled or soon to be rescheduled world title fights abroad especially to Giemel Magramo who has the most immediate date this August.
Now, the good news.
Boxing is back in China since June and will resume in Japan starting this late July and the whole month of August at least, with a total of 22 boxing promotions on tap, including one for a world title and a few for major regional and national championships.
Thailand is also resuming pro boxing on August 1, 2020 with a high profile bout between two former world champions Srisaket Sor Rungvusai and Amnat Ruenroeng.
Boxing contests have been largely limited to domestic fighters due to the outstanding restrictions on foreign travelers in these countries, with fights held behind closed doors under strict health safeguards protocols.
But at least in Japan, an exception has been made for Giemel Magramo as he is fighting Junto Nakatani on August 21, 2020 in Tokyo for the vacant WBO flyweight title rescheduled from April in the first world boxing championship bout to be held there after the near global Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.
As these countries make further internal improvements in containing the disease, the ban and restrictions on the entry of foreign travelers may see easing or even lifting, making it possible for more foreigners to see action in locally organized sporting contests.
The Games and Amusement Board (GAB) has also secured clearance from the Department of Health-led Inter Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for the resumption of boxing, among other professional contact sports.
However, there are no announcements yet about the actual holding of fights under the approved guidelines and protocols that include testing of fighters and other key participants and the implementation of safeguard measures as limiting the number of attendees who would be required to observe wearing of masks and social distancing.
Given that, Philippine boxing would have to make do with fights available to Pinoy fighters especially in the US where some are based or found themselves stranded following the lockdown.
Thus far, Pinoy fighters have already seen action in four since May, winning two and losing two through Mike Plania (1-0), Reymond Yanong who was 1-1 in two fights and Mark Bernaldez (0-1).
It could have been six fights had Moralde and Yap not blown their chances.
However, at least four more Pinoy fighters are waiting for their title fights in the US to be rescheduled including Johnriel Casimero, Jerwin Ancajas, Nonito Donaire, Jr and Marco John Rementizo.
Reymart Gaballo is still scheduled to figure in a fight promotion versus a Hungarian journeyman in Miami, Florida next weekend.
Breaks are still coming the way of our much traveled fighters.
But they have to heed the lessons that befell Moralde and Yap.
About staying covid free and staying in shape.
Dapat laging handa.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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