No court threat from GAB

Games and Amusements Board (GAB) chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon said yesterday he’s not out to pick a fight with the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) and swore he never threatened to take the organization to court over its refusal to license boxers involved in what appear to be professional bouts sanctioned by AIBA (International Boxing Association) with his agency.

But Guanzon admitted that he has sent a letter to the Department of Justice asking for the prohibition of ABAP fighters without GAB licenses to leave the country and perform abroad in AIBA events like the APB (AIBA Pro Boxing) and WSB (World Series of Boxing). “The GAB hasn’t filed any case against the ABAP or its boxers,” said Guanzon. “I never threatened to go to court. I’m just doing my duty as GAB chairman. My job is to look after the safety of professional athletes and I consider the ABAP boxers fighting in the APB and WSB to be professionals.”

Guanzon said late last year, he wrote to the ABAP, PSC and POC seeking clarification on the status of ABAP fighters involved in the APB and WSB. “From what I read in media, some ABAP fighters sign five-year contracts with AIBA and receive purses whenever they fight,” he said. “They don’t wear headgear. They fight in six, eight, 10 and 12 round bouts. In the traditional sense, they’re professionals. I’ve been following boxing since I was eight years old and now I’m turning 66 next month. I think by now, I would know who is a professional fighter and who’s not.”

Guanzon mentioned that he’s not pre-empting ABAP in deciding which fighters to send for whatever tournaments. “It’s ABAP’s prerogative where to send its fighters, whether to AIBA tournaments or the Southeast Asian Games or the Asian Games,” he said. “That’s not our concern. The idea of issuing professional licenses is so the GAB is able to protect fighters. For instance, if a professional fighter is knocked out, there is a mandatory rest period of 90 days which the GAB will enforce. That’s for the safety of the fighter.”

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Guanzon said he has discussed the issue with ABAP executive director Ed Picson. “I respect Ed’s opinion,” he went on. “But I can’t agree with his argument that the GAB issues a professional license to an athlete only when there is an application. If that’s the case, I don’t think we’ll get too many applications. Our jurisdiction applies only in the Philippines. If there are fighters engaged in professional bouts without licenses, the GAB has basis to go to court for a cease and desist order. The GAB can stop an event from happening if it involves professional athletes without licenses.”

Guanzon said he’s been closely monitoring the progress of the careers of ABAP fighters Mark Anthony Barriga and Charly Suarez who are ranked in the top eight of their divisions by AIBA and as a result, seeded in the APB tournament starting this month. Barriga and Suarez are WSB veterans, too. They are considered professionals by AIBA but on an exclusive basis, meaning both are restrained from fighting for any other governing body like the WBC or WBA or IBF or WBO. In this sense, they are “restricted” professionals.

“I don’t want to make life difficult for the ABAP,” he said. “I know amateur boxing like I know professional boxing. As a Filipino, I want the ABAP to succeed especially in its dream to achieve a gold medal in the Olympics. If the ABAP thinks Barriga and Suarez should focus on the APB and not fight in the Southeast Asian Games, that’s it’s call. But since Barriga and Suarez are really AIBA professionals, why not get them GAB licenses? It’s the law and it’s for their protection. Nothing wrong with that.”

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Guanzon said he realizes there are more urgent matters the GAB must address in exercising its functions. “We’re doing our best to address these issues,” he said. “For instance, we’re informed that some Filipino fighters use different names and fight in Thailand without GAB clearance. This is serious. In Thailand, there are many boxing commissions so it’s hard to coordinate. We need the cooperation of boxing managers , matchmakers and promoters who know about these shenanigans so we can move in with hard evidence. If after due process, we find parties who are guilty, we will revoke licenses.”

Guanzon said critics who bring up other issues are missing the point. “The case of Barriga and Suarez is simple,” he continued. “Let’s not muddle it by pointing to other issues. The GAB is doing its best to address all concerns. I’m not after any kind of publicity. We won’t go to media if and when we issue licenses to Barriga and Suarez. This is purely an internal matter. The GAB only wants to do what it’s supposed to.”

It’s not certain if GAB’s intervention will trigger a negative reaction from AIBA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which are united in supporting the WSB and APB. Government interference is frowned upon by the IOC and the GAB’s involvement may be construed as a form of intervention. While Barriga and Suarez are considered professionals by AIBA, they’re in a class of their own. They’re not allowed to fight in bouts sanctioned by any professional organization. The GAB is affiliated with bodies like the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO but isn’t linked to AIBA. This difference may merit an exemption from GAB jurisdiction for ABAP fighters particularly if a license will mean exclusion from AIBA programs and disqualification from the Olympics. The exemption is something the GAB and ABAP might want to discuss for the sake of rationalizing the sport and the country’s pursuit of an Olympic gold medal.