Clarin to spearhead Asian boxing
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 21 Apr 2023
GAB chairman Atty. Richard Clarin said yesterday it’s time for Asian boxing to consolidate and form a strong union in safeguarding the rights of fighters while creating more opportunities for growth on a global scale. Clarin recently attended fights involving Filipinos in Thailand, Australia and Japan to study the conduct of competition and touch base with officials and promoters from different countries in the region.
“I had a long discussion with JBC (Japan Boxing Commission) to the point that we already spoke about creating an Asian boxing organization to be headed by GAB as president and representatives from other councils as members,” said Clarin after his trip to witness the Ginjiro Shigeoka-Rene Mark Cuarto match for the interim IBF minimumweight championship in Tokyo last Sunday.
It’s been Clarin’s crusade that in title fights involving boxers of different nationalities, there should be one neutral judge if the other two judges come from countries represented by the protagonists. In the Shiegoka-Cuarto fight, the neutral judge was Carl Zappia of Australia and the other judges were Greg Ortega of the Philippines and Michiaki Someya of Japan.
Clarin said although the WBC has an affiliate Asian Boxing Council, his vision is to form an independent Asian body governed by Asians. “Para may sariling council tayo sa Asia,” he said. “I’ve also spoken to Lim Song, the head of boxing in Vietnam, and he will support this initiative. Japan also agreed to support this idea with GAB as head. Sa Korea, ang daming private councils and sa Thailand, we need to gain their support too. Others don’t have federations yet and I’m willing to create for them so they can join the Asian council. I’ve talked to (MP Promotions head) Sean Gibbons on boxing concerns abroad and met legendary referee Frank Garza in Tokyo. Frank is retiring this year and I’ve invited him to do a seminar in Manila for our boxing officials.”
Photo: GAB chairman Atty. Richard Clarin (left) with referee Frank Garza and MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons.
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