"Give our boxers a chance"
By Recah Trinidad
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 13 Feb 2012
UNLIKE the luckless Karlo Maquinto, Johnriel Casimero returns to a grand welcome Tuesday after capturing the IBF light flyweight crown and escaping from a rioting barbaric Argentine mob over the weekend.
The unbeaten Maquinto never stood a chance. He fell a victim to barbarity perpetuated by incompetent officials who worked his fateful bout.
You don't need sixth sense to know Maquinto, although he was able to get up, should have been halted after suffering a numbing knockdown in the second round. The combination he took to the chin was clearly lethal, buckling his knees and sending him cross-eyed.
Of course, we can't solely blame the referee if he had not been competent enough to determine whether a punch, or a combination. is lethal or not.
**
A congressional probe on latest ring death was opened Monday, but we have some misgivings on this practice of looking again what had gone wrong--only after a tragedy had struck. Even Manny Pacquiao has reportedly agreed that there's an urgent need for sweeping changes.
There should be redirection and reformation in the way the Games and Amusements Boxing Division has been conducting prizefight affairs in the country.
For example, it was an anomaly how supposedly responsible GAB people claimed Maquinto's death was, pure and simple, the result of an accident.
For the record, it was already a riot after these officials suddenly discovered there was no oxygen tank on hand at ringside.
"Better late than sorry," said veteran international referee Bruce McTavish, who refused to work the bout after Maquinto's drawn fight until an oxygen tank had been brought in.
**
We sought competent people, some of whom claimed there had apparently been gross dishonesty on the part of those responsible for the tragic bout.
"I am saddened with the GAB statement that they don't need further improvement with the system," says Dr. Aldwin Adique. "Accidents do happen that's why we should always prepare for them."
How?
"We must know what's the proper treatment for every medical situation possible during a fight."
Dr. Adigue, son of former boxing champion Pedro Adigue Jr., says he's not trying to blame but to inform.
"I had had my share of being a ringside physician when I was still doing my residency training in surgery. I very well know that nobody wants these things to happen."
**
Dr. Adigue says that when a boxer loses consciousness during a fight, they should rule out intracerebral bleed first and must manage the patient accordingly.
"I saw an interview of Mr Tamano in the newspaper where he said that oxygen would not have have helped because it was brain injury. The problem with brain injury is the continued increase in intracranial pressure brought about by the blood collecting in the head and the edema of the brain. The way to treat this is evacuate the blood and wait for the edema to subside."
Adds Dr. Adigue: "For the operation to be done, since most of the medical centers in the Philippines have no capability of opening up the skull and wait for the edema to subside before closing it up. patients are usually operated only if their glasgow coma scale is around 5-8 or depending on the existing protocol of the hospital. So the initial and immediate treatment of the patient matters a lot. immediate treatment comprises the following: 1. intubation and hyperventilation; hyperventilation with oxygen decreases the swelling reaction of the brain to trauma. 2. elevation of the head, with the help of gravity less water will go to the brain contributing to the edema. 3. placing an iv line and giving mannitol, this will diurese the patient thus pushing out the body water that contributes to the edema of the brain."
His final cry and call: "Let's give these boxers a fighting chance not just in the ring. When these accidents happen, it's not them alone fighting but the people responsible for these fights as well."
In short, it's not just the boxers who should do the preparation and training.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Weigh-In Results: Brian Norman Jr. vs. Jin Sasaki
Wed, 18 Jun 2025CLARESSA SHIELDS VS. LANI DANIELS PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Wed, 18 Jun 2025Brian Norman Jr.: "This Championship Belt Means Everything to Me!"
Wed, 18 Jun 2025Julian Gonzalez Takes on Former World Title Challenger Jason Sanchez in Main Event on Friday, June 27th at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia
Wed, 18 Jun 2025IBA reaffirms its commitment to good governance and stability in Africa
Wed, 18 Jun 2025Day One of the USA Boxing Junior Olympics and Summer Festival Concludes
Wed, 18 Jun 2025The Past Week in Action 16 June 2025: Hitchins Stops Kambosos; Wins by Andy Cruz and Teremoana; Donaire Returns
By Eric Armit, Tue, 17 Jun 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 9 - MUHAMMAD ALI WINS WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
By Maloney L. Samaco, Tue, 17 Jun 2025OKC Nears First NBA Title in Thunder Era; Outclasses Indiana, 120-109 in Game 5
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Tue, 17 Jun 2025Crawford Refutes #3 P4P Ranking; WBA Doesn't Forget Nonito Donaire
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Tue, 17 Jun 2025GM John Paul Gomez joins Touchmove in Roxas City
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 17 Jun 2025Perfect foe, perfect outcome
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 17 Jun 2025Prospects Collide Results: Rajon Chance Defeats Yan Carlos Perez
Tue, 17 Jun 2025Undefeated Russian super middleweight Petr “The Surgeon” Khamukov to headline This Friday in Long Beach on DAZN
Tue, 17 Jun 2025International Boxing & MMA Consultants Appointed to serve as El Salvador Professional Combat Sport Commission
Tue, 17 Jun 2025