By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Another scandal involving Filipino boxers fighting in Thailand has been unearthed by Viva Sports/Manila Standard following the June 17 fight card at Tachalorm, Samutsakorn promoted by Pariyakorn Ratanasuban.
It was also learned that despite the expressions of concern by the Philippine Games and Amusements Board over two unlicensed boxers on the card and a last minute attempt at intervention, the promoter went ahead with the fights.
All three Filipino boxers were badly beaten. Two of them were unlicensed by the GAB and one of them, Joselito Rivera, had his license cancelled in 2001 because he was infected with Hepatitis B. Rivera’s last fight was in January 2, 2001 when he suffered a third round knockout in a Pan Asia Boxing Association super featherweight title fight against former WBA champion Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai.
Rivera was dropped twice in a one-sided fight against undefeated Somchay Nakbalee forcing the referee to call a halt to the massacre at 2:02 of the fourth round. Nakbalee was coming off a six round unanimous decision over another Filipino Arnel Porras last May 30.
Arex Montalban who was paraded as the Philippine Boxing Federation lightweight champion was destroyed by WBC International champion, undefeated Saddam Kietyongyuth. Montalban was knocked out in 1:51 of the second round with vicious body shots. Montalban was also apparently unlicensed, had no GAB clearance and had reportedly not fought since February 11, 2002 when he suffered a third round TKO at the hands of Christopher Saluday after being knocked down twice in the battle for the vacant Philippine lightweight title. However, there was one report which claimed Montalban lost a six round decision to Somchay Nakbalee last April 28.
In the main event Julius Tarona lost a lopsided twelve round decision to another undefeated Thai, Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo, in a WBC Asian Boxing Council featherweight title fight. The Thai champion dominated the fight with his superior skill and opened up a cut in the tenth round over Tarona’s eyebrow and had the Filipino on the verge of a KO several times in the last two rounds. All three judges scored the fight for Chonlatarn with two judges having the champion winner by a margin of 119-109 and the third judge 119-111.
The latest scandal comes in the wake of the discovery that a retired boxer Joel Avila had faked the identity of Tata Polinar and was knocked out in the fifth round of a Asian Boxing Council super flyweight title fight against former WBC flyweight champion Medgoen Singsurat (3K Battery), the one time conqueror of Manny Pacquiao, last May 27 in Saraburi.
WBC official and Bangkok Post columnist Edward Thangarajah said Saturday that no investigation was launched adding that “as far as we are concerned, the chapter on the issue has been closed.”