by Ronnie Nathanielsz
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer has forwarded all the necessary documents to World Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman who had earlier called for “a hearing to clarify all matters about an alleged fraud that took place” when Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista faced Genaro “Poblanito” Garcia, who was not the contracted fighter Genaro “Panterita” Garcia, in Tagbilaran City last Saturday.
In a statement the WBC said “The issue was that “Poblantio” Garcia was not the fighter who faced Bautista but another boxer named Genaro Garcia Gutierrez.”
The WBC said Hugo Correa with whom ALA Promotions negotiated for the Mexican fighter “has been called to a hearing” with Sulaiman promising the Manila Standard to get to the bottom of what happened and indicated that if Correa is guilty he would be suspended.
The first email sent by Correa had listed the names of 7 fighters, but only Genaro “Poblanito” Garcia who had fought eight world champions and had a record of 38-8 with 22 knockouts, and Mario “Pocho” Perez, were featherweights, with Perez losing his last 3 fights for a 6-4-1, 4 knockouts record.
The other fighters listed by Correa were super bantamweight Ramon “Cobra” Mass 26-2, 15 knockouts who had lost his last fight to Jonathan Lecona Ramos on December 17 by a ten round majority decision, Arturo “Miko” Zamora who had lost his last three fights and had a record of 11-5 with 3 KO’s.
The other fighters were not featherweights capable of fighting Bautista. They were Francisco Copul, a bantamweight with a record of 25-6-1 with 18 knockouts, super bantamweight Sergio Santos and welterweight Mauro Lucero.
ALA Promotions Chad Canares, executive assistant to the CEO Michael Aldeguer sent us a covering note with the documents in which he said “ Genaro "Poblanito" Garcia's name first came out in the list sent through email by Hugo Correa dated January 16, 2012. Based on what was offered to us last January 16, 2012 through email by Hugo
Correa, we, in good faith offered Genaro Garcia (believing it was Poblanito that was offered to us in the said email) a fight with Boom Boom Bautista scheduled on March 3, 2012.”
Canares emphasized that Genaro "Panterita" Garcia “was never in the picture. I am sending you both the fight contract for your reference and the Mexican Boxing Commissions approval of the fighter which we believe was approved in good faith and did not know which Genaro Garcia we were negotiating for.”
The Manila Standard checked the passport of the “fake” Garcia which identified him as Genaro Garcia Gutierrez.
