MCTAVISH HELPS MIGRENO GET HIS WBC INTERNATIONAL TITLE BELT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 12 Nov 2012
Migreno.
Respected international referee Bruce McTavish showed how much he cares for the sport of boxing and for Filipino fighters when he made sure that newly crowned WBC International flyweight champion Rey Migreno got his title belt.
Migreno (18-20-3, 16 KO?s) sent former longtime WBC champion and WBC ?Fighter of the Decade? Pongsaklek Wonjongkam into retirement with a smashing 3rd round TKO victory in Nakhon Ratchasima last November 1.
McTavish who was originally slated to referee the fight was requested to instead serve as one of the three judges in order to prevent the fight being judged by three Thais.
After the fight McTavish said Migreno was almost in tears when the Thais from Pongsaklek?s camp went to the Filipino?s dressing room and took back the belt that had been handed to Migreno.
McTavish told him not to worry he would get him the belt he richly deserved.
He contacted Mauro Betti of the WBC and later told the Manila Standard that WBC executive director Mauricio Sulaiman promptly had a WBC belt shipped to McTavish within three days.
The referee immediately contacted Migreno and his manager and the elated champion soon boarded a bus from Baguio to Angeles City where he would pick up his WBC International belt from the home of American trainer Rick Stahaley whose residence Migreno knew since he had trained under Stahaley in the past in Angeles City.
McTavish had the belt delivered to Stahely?s residence.
Pongsaklek had lost his WBC flyweight title last March 2 when he was demolished by Sonny Boy Jaro in a 6th round TKO after being dropped once in the opening round, once in the third and twice in the sixth.
The Thai attempted a comeback and won four fights in a row against patsies and was battered and sent to the canvas twice by Migreno forcing referee Noppharat Sricharoen to call a halt at 2:06 of the 6th round when, according to McTavish, Pongsaklek beat the count but was in no position to continue.
The Bangkok Post reported that the 35 year old southpaw had beaten Migreno twice before was disappointed with his performance and indicated it was up to his handlers if they wanted him to continue fighting. But his manager Wirat Wachirarattanawong said that it was the right time for the boxer to quit the sport.
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