By Rey Danseco
AFTER a dubious decision came out, the camp of losing challenger Celso Danggod, filed a formal protest yesterday against some officials in the televised Philippine super flyweight title fight, which took place on November 5 in Manila, Philippines.
Dante Almario and Victor Ulanday, who co-manage Danggod, sent their letter of protest/complaint, dated November 7, to Games and Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Eric Buhain and GAB boxing division chief Emmanuel Flores with regards to the outcome of the RP 115-pound title bout between Danggod and reigning champ Eric Barcelona at San Andres Sports and Civic Auditorium.
“We believed that some of the GAB personnel (judges and referee) who officiated the fight committed grave errors in judging and handling the bouts,” the letter stated which seeking a favorable investigation in favor of Danggod.
“We respectfully request your immediate action/investigation and hoping that the video tape of the said bout will be review thoroughly as early as possible and render finally the decision in favor of boxer Celso Danggod.”
Almario and Ulanday, who served as Danggod's business manager and manager respectively, emphasized three grounds that primarily questions the referee Virgilio Garcia’s refusal to take a point from Barcelona for repeated headbutts after round 7 as well as the refusal to declare a knockdown when Barcelona’s left glove touched the canvas after taking a vicious clean-punch from Danggod in round 9.
Other matter the Team Danggod want GAB to see is the difference of the decision of a neophyte judge Henry Verniz, a 23 year old native of Cavite City who got a license early this year, and a veteran official of the sport, Ricardo Canlas.
Verniz favored Barcelona in his scorecard while Canlas sided with Danggod and the third judge Epi Almeda also favored the champ with a close 113-112 decision.
“It is unusual that one judge (Verniz) scored it 115 to 111 in favor of Barcelona while the other judge (Canlas) scores 114 to 112 in favor of Danggod,” Almario and Ulanday insisted.
Almario said had GAB officials’ decision was fair, “we would have a new Philippine champion.”
“You will noticed that before the decision has been rendered, the viewing public are all shouting in favor of Danggod, however, when the unexpected decision was announced, the public disagree and booing/shouting in protest to the decision made,” they added.
A former veteran boxer and now boxing manager promoter Ailjoe Jaro who closely watched the bout told this writer in separate interview that Danggod won in his scorecard, 114-112.
CAPTION
Celso Danggod (with belt) when he won the vacant WBE flyweight title over Sukarno Banjao (not in photo) in Antipolo City, Rizal on May 17, 2005. behind at his left is his manager Victor Ulanday and business manager Dante Almario, the WBE Asia Pacific Commissioner-Advisor, raises his hand.
