NI EDWIN ROLLON

IPINAABOT ng World Boxing Council (WBC),  pinakamalaki at pinakamalawak na boxing organization sa mundo, ang ‘concerned’ sa isyu na ipinaglalaban ni Games and Amusement Board (GAB) laban sa Oriental and Pacific Boxing Organization (OPBF).

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Sa kanyang tugon sa sulat ni GAB Chairman Abraham ‘Baham’ Mitra nitong Disyembre 27 at nabigyan ng kopya ang Tabloid Oragnization in Philippine Sports (TOPS), hiniling ni WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman ang malalimang imbestigasyon para maresolba ang naturang isyu.

 “I kindly ask you to please take a calm stance and allow the normal procedure to unfold,” pahayag ni Sulaiman.

“My father (the late  Don Jose Sulaiman) always told  me: There is this version of the facts, there is the  other version of the facts, and then there is the truth.

“We need to understand that each jurisdiction has its own constitution, rules and regulations. We need to underst and that each country has its own procedures and there are differences in cultures as well.”

“In boxing it is very common to find differences between promoters, managers, trainers and boxers ideals,” sambit ni Sulaiman.

Ipinarating ni Mitra, sa pamamagitan ng resolusyon na nagkakaisang aprubado nina GAB Commissioners Mario Masanguid at Atty. Eduard B. Trinidad, ang umano’y ‘unfair’ na desisyon ng OPBF para bawian ng world title ang Pinoy champion na si Mark John Yap. Ang OPBF ay pinamumunuan ni Japanese Boxing Council president Yasoguchi

“GAB and JBC are very important to the WBC and of course to the OPBF.”

Inutusan ni Sulaiman si WBC chief legal counsel Alberto Leon na pangunahan ang imbestigasyon para sa agarang resolusyon ng isyu.

Nauna nang sinabi ni Yasukochi sa kanyang pagtugon sa sulat ni Mitra na may kontrata si Yap kay Edagawa hanggang 2019 kung kaya’t sagop siya sa regulasyon ng JBF.

 “Under the rules and regulations of Japan Boxing Commission, a boxer who has contract with  Japanese manager will consider as a boxer belongs to Japan, regardless of his or her nationality, in this case with Mr. Yap who is Philippines national.”

“Yap told Edagawa that he wishes to retire from  boxing and left Japan. So Japanese manager Edagawa then signed and submitted document which states that Mark John Yap will return the title to OPBF.”

“Yap has not said anything to Edagawa as of now. Therefore, we can not put him as champion,” sambit ni Yasukochi.

Ngunit, ayon kay Mitra hindi katangap-tangap ang katwiran ng Japanese boxing official.

Ayon sa dating Palawan Governor at three-time Congressman, hindi puwedeng mapaisailalim si Yap sa JBC dahil hiwalay na organisasyon ang OPBF.

 “Stripping of an OPBF title must be based on rules of the OPBF,” pahayag ni Mitra.  “What OPBF rules Mark John Yap broke to be stripped of the OPBF title  that he  defended all those times with  his life on top of the boxing ring?.” Aniya.

Sa isa pang sulat ni Mitra sa OPBF,sinabi ng GAB Chief:“We  respectfully disagree on your decision. The boxer should be the one to signify his intention to retire, and not the manager.”

 “Also, if you consider him retired why is he still number 1 in his division? Also, why would you approve a title fight for his belt December 24 without even consulting him or us?

“We have no choice but to elevate this case to the WBC leadership as it is our mandate to look after the welfare of our Filipino boxers,” aniya.