Black eye for RP boxing - SPORTING CHANCE by Joaquin M. Henson

World Boxing Council (WBC) International bantamweight champion Ricky Gayamo came home from Tokyo last Thursday in tears. He was knocked out by unbeaten Norihisa Tomimoto and abandoned by his two companions who stayed behind in Japan as TNTs.

So Gayamo had two good reasons to cry.

Gayamo left for Tokyo with trainer Henry Caputo and a certain Francis Tapang early last week. The three checked in at a downtown Tokyo hotel. Tapang disappeared before Gayamo fought Tomimoto last Wednesday. Caputo worked Gayamo’s corner as his second during the bout then disappeared, too.

Gayamo’s manager Raffy Panagan, a Baguio businessman, told The STAR the other day he was surprised to pick up the fighter alone at the airport. He said Caputo was Gayamo’s trainer but claimed he didn’t know Tapang until they met at the Japanese Embassy to apply for a visa.

Panagan said Filipino matchmaker Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde, Jr. arranged for Gayamo, Caputo and Tapang to leave for Japan. Elorde booked the fight through Japanese Joe Koizumi.

Elorde, however, insisted Caputo and Tapang were Panagan’s nominees to accompany Gayamo. "They’re all from Baguio," said Elorde who laughed off Panagan’s claim of not knowing Tapang.

Games and Amusements Board (GAB) boxing chief Noli Flores confirmed that Caputo is a licensed trainer and Tapang, a licensed manager — both from Baguio.

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Panagan, 50, said he’s embarrassed that Caputo, who is married to his niece, and Tapang betrayed Koizumi’s trust. "Hiyang-hiya ako," he continued. "Ako ang binibintang ni Koizumi sa pagka-TNT nina Caputo at Tapang."

Panagan, an Igorot from Bontoc province, operates a gym at the South Sanitary camp in Baguio City. He manages only two pros, Gayamo and Raffy Aladi, although about 30 fighters train in his gym. He’s been involved in boxing for over 20 years, promoting fighters like Rey Tam, Bernabe Aliping, and John Matienza.

Gayamo, 25, is Panagan’s prized talent. He was only 16 when he joined Panagan’s stable. Unbeaten in his first 10 bouts, Gayamo won the Philippine bantamweight title a year ago and stopped Jovi Halog to wrest the WBC International 118-pound crown last month.

For fighting Tomimoto, Gayamo was paid a purse of $4,000 but pocketed only half of that because Koizumi’s share was $1,000, Elorde’s cut was $300, and Panagan took $700. Gayamo didn’t win a single round and was decked twice in the loss.

Panagan picked up Gayamo from the airport at 2 p.m. last Thursday then took the 4 p.m. Victory Liner bus that arrived in Baguio at 1 a.m. the next day.

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Elorde said Gayamo told him he was frustrated in not being able to hurt his opponent and quit rather than risk getting badly hurt. Elorde said Gayamo weighed 120 pounds for the fight and Tomimoto, 126. But Koizumi’s report said Gayamo weighed 121 1/4 and Tomimoto, 123 1/2. Gayamo also complained of Tokyo’s freezing temperature.

Flores said the GAB has no control over Filipinos who go TNT abroad. "It’s an immigration problem," he said. "As far as the GAB is concerned, they’re cleared to leave if they’re licensed and invited by the Japanese promoter as was the case of Caputo and Tapang."

The disappearance of Caputo and Tapang has prompted the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) to indefinitely ban Filipino fighters from seeing action in Japan because in Koizumi’s words, "there have been too many scandals happening with illegal escapes and overstays of Philippine boxing people (who) disgracefully violate Japanese law."

JBC Executive Secretary Shigeru Kojima announced the ban last Saturday. Exempted are Filipinos booked to fight in Oriental or world title bouts.

The process of applying for a Japanese visa starts when a boxer is booked to fight in Japan. The fighter is usually allowed to bring along his manager and a trainer. The Japanese promoter sends a letter of invitation to the fighter and his companions. The letter is forwarded to the Japanese Embassy for visa purposes. With the letter is a GAB endorsement.

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Boxing manager Tony Aldeguer said the JBC ban is an "overreaction." He explained: "The Japanese matchmakers know who are the reliable Filipino boxing managers. Why penalize the legitimate boxing people when you can single out the bad eggs? Perhaps, the GAB should communicate with the JBC and figure out what can be done to protect the majority of our boxing people who are legitimate."

Koizumi said as a result of the JBC ban, WBC International flyweight champion Randy Mangubat, who is booked to face Katsushige Kawashima in a non-title bout in Tokyo on March 27, will be replaced. But what about Koizumi’s protégé Randy Suico who’s booked to fight in Tokyo on March 3? Will he be replaced, too?

Whether or not the JBC relaxes the ban, the fact is Philippine boxing has suffered another black eye because of the recurring incidence of Filipinos going TNT. What a shame.