PI?OL?S PROPOSALS MAKE PERFECT SENSE, BUT WILL GAB LISTEN?
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 11 Aug 2011
Manny Pi?ol, the ex-governor who now writes for respected Manila Times and Philboxing.com hit the nail squarely on the head with his proposals for an ?annual week-long courses on boxing training, physical conditioning, cornering, refereeing and judging? in the Philippines. Link.
Certainly such courses will be an excellent way to ensure that people involved with the industry will be competent enough to be depended upon.
Oh don?t get me wrong. I am not saying or even implying that there are Filipinos involved in the industry who are incompetent. I am sure Pi?ol and many others share my sentiments. But I am told many of these people are inexperienced so that they get lost when things get tough.
I also know a few who are very good at it.
Take the case of Jonnie Davis, a Filipino judge who is now a Buena Park, CA resident. Davis is the same judge who called the shots as he saw them on the Gorres-Darchinyan title fight in Cebu sometime ago. Davis had Darchinyan winning in his scoredcard. Had Davis scored it for Gorres, Z would have became a world champion that night.
Davis now judges fights for the California State Athletic Commission and has demonstrated a superior competence level that allowed him to be repeatedly asked to judge fights in the State. Davis is not only a hell of a judge. He is honest as well. That tells a lot about the guy.
How about the now retired Carlos Padilla, Jr.? He was one heck of a referee! And of course my idol, Bruce McTavish. He is excellent as well!
In my humble opinion however, Pi?ol?s proposal do not go far enough.
I believe it would be far better if in addition to the annual training of judges, referees and corner people, particularly trainers and cutmen, a licensing process must be implemented as well. A short written or verbal test together with a ?demonstration? of skills should be required before being assigned on the ring. In addition, all those who earned a license must have 20 hours a year of certified continuing education training prior to a biennial renewal of their licenses to ensure continuing competence and to allow them to keep up with the nuances of the industry.
I now hear detractors saying ?that is too much?. It will ?deprive? a lot of people a source of living.
Bull!
My proposals are not focused on depriving anybody anything. It?s simply weeding out the incompetent!
They are aimed at improving the industry, protecting the fighters and assuring that fights are done fair and square thus giving the fans what they paid for. What?s so wrong with that?
Besides people whose skills are sub-standard will have a way to raise their competence level and if they make the grade, they should be licensed.
Those who can not make the grade should not be allowed to work the industry. In no case should they be allowed to work at the expense of the safety of boxers and the integrity of the industry.
The question is:- Will the powers that be at GAB have enough balls to implement change?
I should hope so!
Photo: Referee Tony Pesons (R) was the third man in the ring during the Banal vs Cave controversial fight held at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu last July 30. Photo by Dong Secuya.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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