IS THIS ANOTHER JOKE - MERLIN VS KRATINGDAENGGYM?
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 05 Mar 2012
Reports just posted by Carlos Costa from Thailand indicates that a Filipino with a dismal record will be fighting a veteran Thai with a far superior record for the PABA Super bantamweight title at Chiang May today.
The Filipino is Jilo Merlin, an Agusan del Sur native who now makes Trinidad Valley in Benguet his residence.
Melin parades a dreary record of 11-12-1 while his opponent Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym holds a fearful 45-2-0, 31 KO.
Needless to say, this match up is terrible, if one can truly call it a ?match-up?.
In fact it is so one sided that the only positive thing that can happen is if Merlin comes out of the fight with his faculties still intact.
Merlin has no prayer to win this fight. He might as well hit the canvas the soonest as his opponent lands a jab on him. That would save his soul and make some money.
But what is more pathetic than the match itself is why GAB allowed this fighter to fight abroad for a title when there are so many more Filipino fighters with far superior record who stands a better chance against the Thai.
Sure fighting in Thailand beats fighting locally as the money to be made is a wee bit superior. And, there are not too many opportunities for Filipino boxers to fight for a title no matter how minor it is in the country.
But is money all that really matters?
Is there no more value for health or life in our country?
Have we gone that low?
The poor slobs at GAB should have known better than allowing Melin to go abroad to fight. If something bad happens to Melin, the kid?s blood will be in their hands.
It is perhaps time to revamp the GAB, particularly the Boxing Division so that these joke match-ups will finally stop?
We don?t need to lose anymore young fighters before we finally act.
The deaths we had in the past are one too many already. We don?t need anymore.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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