INSIDE SPORTS - TACONING LOSS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF GAB'S FAILURE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 05 May 2012
We have often complained, sometimes bitterly, about the abject failure of the Games and Amusements Board to protect the interests of our lesser known fighters who engage hometown favorites especially in world title fights in places like Thailand.
The World Boxing Council light flyweight title fight between Jonathan Taconing and Thai world champion Kompayak Porpramook was a classic example of why at least one GAB official should be present during a title fight of such importance to at least seek show the local boxing officials and referee and judges that they are there to look after the legitimate rights of the Filipino boxers.
Anybody who has a clue about pro boxing would realize after watching the fight on television that Taconing was robbed blind by the Thais whose penchant for cheating in pro boxing is known the world over, no matter how vehemently they deny it.
Taconing hammered Kompayak most of the fight and while indeed the small cut suffered on the left eyebrow of the champion was the result of an accidental head-butt, there was absolutely no reason for the fight to be stopped.
As required by WBC rules the scores were announced at the end of the fourth round and the Thais knew that Kompayak was ahead on the scorecards of two of the three judges ? Geoff Belton of New Zealand and Takeaki Kanaya of Japan. The doctor and South Korean referee Jae -Bong Kim who appear to be a particular favorite among the Thais, conspired to stop the bout in round five when there was hardly any blood from the cut and it was not in any way threatening or even hampering the champion.
Comfortable in the knowledge that the scores could not have been overcome in favor of Taconing when the fight was stopped, the Thai ring doctor and referee Kim helped Kompayak retain his world title in another ugly display of the lack of integrity in boxing.
It was a painful loss for Taconing who deserved to win and add to the roster of Filipino world champions and a shameless display of a hometown decision.
That?s why when Filipino boxers fight Thais in title bouts they go into the ring realizing that the only way to win is to batter their opponents and knock them out cold just as Sonny Boy Jaro did to veteran WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam.
While watching the fight tape we realized that Taconing was trying desperately to do just that and when Kompayak was being hammered in a corner and embraced and held on to Taconing, the referee didn?t even caution the Thai for holding, instead he broke up the action and derailed the momentum of the challenger.
We ourselves will call WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman to follow up on our urgent request for him to review the fight tape and order a rematch in a neutral venue and to take specific action against the officials involved for either blatant incompetence or questionable decision-making. Don Jose can?t do any less and knowing him as we do, we are confident he will do the right thing.
In the meantime, our GAB officials should hang their heads in shame once again for having utterly neglected to protect the interests of a Filipino boxer in a world title fight in a notorious venue such as Thailand.
What is even more exasperating is that when Manny Pacquiao fights, GAB officials travel to the US to watch the fight and to add to the number of junketing politicians. Pacquiao is perfectly capable of looking after himself and protecting his interests and doesn?t need the GAB.
Since the GAB is under the Office of the President we sincerely hope that President Noynoy Aquino will crack the whip and ensure that nobody from the GAB flies to Las Vegas for the June 9 fight of Pacquiao and wastes taxpayers hard-earned money.
We also fervently hope that Congressman Manny Pacquiao?s efforts to establish a privately-run Philippine Boxing Commission succeeds and that the inefficient, incompetent GAB boxing division is dismantled or better still knocked out!
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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