Ring victim a deaf-mute

Here’s an interesting twist to the sad tale of lightflyweight boxer Freddie Gimay who died of a cerebral hemorrhage last Oct. 28 at the Romeo Sibud County Hospital in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay. He succumbed about 12 hours after being knocked out by Rober (Power) Gadian at 2:20 of the eighth round in a scheduled tenner at the municipal gym.

Gimay, 32, was a deaf-mute. He couldn’t hear and couldn’t speak.

Gimay’s disability had nothing to do with his death. But should he have been allowed to fight Gadian in the first place? Consider these questions begging for answers:

First, should Gimay have been suspended or retired outright after running a streak of 16 winless fights the last three years? His last win was a decision over Ted Pulido on June 10, 2000. Since that victory, Gimay compiled a lowly record of 0-14-2 with five losses inside the distance. He suffered two streaks of six straight setbacks during that period. Gimay saw action twice in Bangkok within a two-week period in 2000 and lost both fights.

Second, was Gimay in condition to box and was he dehydrated after reducing to make the fight weight? Games and Amusements Board (GAB) North Mindanao officials Atheno Paguidopon and Arnulfo Sazon reported that Gimay had to reduce and sweat it out at the weigh-in to scale 106 pounds. Medical studies show that a boxer is more susceptible to head damage or injury after reducing to make the fight weight, resulting in dehydration and the lessening of fluids that protect the brain.

Third, were there adequate facilities provided by promoter Roberto Rodrigo to take care of Gimay after he lost consciousness in the ring? No ambulance was on standby. Gimay was carried out of the ring on all fours–not on a stretcher. The town mayor’s pickup truck brought Gimay to the hospital which was about 200 meters away from the gym.

Fourth, should referee Filmore Tuastumban have stopped the fight earlier to save Gimay from suffering more punishment? The bout was one-sided. At the end of seven rounds, the three judges–Romy Bernaldez, Jovencio Murro and Gerardo Viernes–scored identical shutouts. Curiously, Bernaldez had four rounds even, Moro two and Viernes three. Scoring even rounds is now frowned on in boxing but maybe not in Titay.

Fifth, was Gimay set up to lose to Gadian? It’s no secret that Gadian, 26, has a better future in boxing than Gimay. Gadian’s record was a respectable 18-6-1, with three KOs, before he took on Gimay. On paper, Gadian looked too formidable a foe for a patsy like Gimay.

Ringside physician Dr. Perlie Sibud, in an affidavit submitted to the GAB, said Tuastumban "was not able to break the game immediately due to sudden/excessive exchange of punches." Did Dr. Sibud mean that if Tuastumban managed to intervene, Gimay would’ve been spared?

Paguidopon, in a Star interview, said Gimay was knocked down, got up and ruled unfit to continue after wobbling and stumbling when Tuastumban asked him to walk. But in Paguidopon’s testimony, he said Gimay was counted out. Why the discrepancy in relating what happened?

Paguidopon said Tuastumban, 53, is a veteran referee with over 10 years of experience and knows his business.

In their affidavits, judges Murro and Viernes said Gimay went down more due to exhaustion than the punches he absorbed from Gadian. Viernes said Gimay "was not really too battered."

Paguidopon and Sazon said Gimay being a deaf-mute created a problem of communication when he collapsed in the ring. "Gimay with the help of his second Oswaldo Zayas momentarily kneeled up and motioned to his head and being a deaf-mute, wasn’t able to communicate well, especially with a lot of people milling around," said the GAB officials. "The doctor then asked the boxer and handlers to lay back Gimay to the canvas so that cold water and ice be applied to his head and nape. After a short while, the doctor decided to bring Gimay to the hospital. Later, Dr. Sibud came back to report that Gimay lapsed into a coma. Dr. Sibud informed us that the boxer had a 50-50 chance of survival if he reaches 24 hours."

Arrangements were made to transport Gimay to the Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro City the next morning because the Titay facilities were inadequate. But Gimay died before he could be brought out of Titay.

GAB commissioner Emmanuel Palabrica and lawyer Ricardo Villamil are scheduled to fly to Cagayan de Oro next week to investigate the circumstances that led to Gimay’s death.