Friday, December 14, 2007 6 of 7 Pinoy boxers retire in middle of SeaGames bouts By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
THAILAND -- To dramatize their protest against Thailand 's alleged unfair officiating and judging in boxing, six of the seven Filipino male boxers who battled for gold have retired at the middle of their bouts against their Thai opponents Thursday afternoon at the Maempung Gym in Nakhon Ratchasima here.
"Yes, we did that to show to the entire Southeast Asian region that we are against the officiating and judging in boxing. However, we quit with dignity," stressed Nolito Velasco, the Philippine head coach in boxing, in an interview with Sun.Star Bacolod.
Of the seven RP boxers, only Larry Semillano of Bago City, Negros Occidental finished his bout against Manus Boonjamnong in the super lightweight division (64k).
As expected, however, he lost to Bonjamnong via point system; 10-4.
"We were forced to have Semillano finish his bout so the country won't be sanctioned or be disqualified in joining the next SeaGames," Velasco explained.
He disclosed that prior to the boxing matches, chefs de mission of all participating countries held a closed door conference with the Thai Olympic Committee officials who later threatened to impose a ban on any country who won't allow their boxers to fight in the finals.
"That's why we were compelled to let our guys come up the ring but with the condition that if we see irregularities in the scoring, we will let our boxers retire at the middle of the fight," he said.
"And it happened to Godfrey Castro against Somjit Jongjohor in the flyweight division (51 kg)," he added.
"Kahit na foul ang Thailander pero sa kanya pa rin ang score. So, ano ang magawa namin? (Even if the Thailander committed a foul, yet the score is for him. So what can we do?)," lamented Velasco.
So Castro quit in round one with still 2 minutes remaining time.
A native of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, Castro said, "It's good that I quit rather than to lose in a wrong system of judging."
After Castro, the same thing happened to Junel Constancio, Joegin Ladon, and Junie Tizon, all of Bago City, Negros Occidental; Orlando Tacuyan Jr. of Bacolod City; and Maximo Tabangcora of Iloilo City.
Constancio, who battled Worapoj Petchkoom in the bantamweight division (54 kg), also retired in the first round also with 2 minutes remaining time while Ladon, who fought against Pichal Sayota in the lightweight division (60 kg), quit in the first round with 1:27 remaining time.
Tizon, on the other hand, encountered Suriya Parasathinphimai in the middleweight division (69 kg), and also quit in round 2 with 2 minutes remaining time in the bout.
Tacuyan was also forced to fight against Sailon Adi in the featherweight division (43) but also retired in the third round still with 2 minutes in the time clock.
Tabangcora fought against Angkhan Chomphupuang but abandoned their fight in the second round with 2 minutes remaining time.
"Bastusan na kung bastusan, basta ang alam namin 'yan lang ang dapat naming gawin para malaman ng buong Southeast Asian nations na hindi puwedeng yurakan lamang ng Thailand ang dangal nating mga Pilipino," stressed Velasco in Tagalog. (We did it to show the Southeast Asian nations that Thailand can't just do that to us Filipinos.)
Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, the country's Chef de Mission for this year's Sea Games, hailed the Filipino boxers' decision.
"If it's the way we can show our protest over the unfair treatment of our boxers, so be it," he said.
He was however disappointed because the Pinoy boxers, especially the six Negrenses, trained and prepared well for this Sea Games. Negrenses, including their parents their in Negros, really waited for their fights. But its so disgusting that it ended in this scenario, added Puentevella.
Nevertheless, he said, "It's good to quit than to lose in a stupid way."
Puentevella has already been disgusted with the outcome of the boxing bouts of six Filipino lady boxers Wednesday.
Of the six, only Annie Albania won against her Thai opponent via knock out.
Five others including Mitchelle Martines also from Bago City, Analissa Cruz, Jouvelit Chilem, Kate Aparri and Ronijen Supla lost to their respective opponents via point system.
But Velasco said they we're robbed of golds that were supposedly for his lady boxers.
"Everybody was convinced that my girls won but were only betrayed. But still no regret because they did their best up to the end of their fight," Velasco added.
Velasco said he's proud of what he has done with his male boxers because his fellow boxing coaches from Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia expressed their sympathies with him.
