By Rey Danseco
A Filipino boxer and his manager from Mindanao in the Philipppines are subject to suspension after he illegally fought and lost in Thailand recently.
Michael Rodriguez, a protégé of Kidapawan City’s Gemmel Contayoso, used the backdoor and never took a permit from the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) when he fought veteran Pigmy Muangchaiyaphum Monday at Rachadamnern Stadium in Bangkok.
Rodriguez vowed to Muangchaiyaphum by six-round decision loss. It was Rodriguez’s sixth straight loss and dropped to overall 6-8 win-loss record with two by knockouts.
This writer learned that Rodriguez is ineligible to fight abroad. GAB official Tony Comia stated that even if Rodriguez would asked their permission, he would not be allowed to fight.
Under the country’s rules and regulation in boxing, a fighter can be allowed to fight overseas if he has two wins in his last five bouts with the second victory was within the last three appearance.
Comia said that with two draws and a victory in the last five bout of a boxer is enough to give a boxer clearance to fight outside of the country.
Before losing to Muanchaiyaphum, who has record of 24-5-2 (14 KOs) before the bout, Rodriguez has consecutive loses to Denver Cuello, Thai fighters Thitichon Singwancha and Liempetch Sor Veerapol in Thailand, Milan Melindo, and Armand de la Cruz.
Rodriguez will be suspended if found guilty while Contayoso will also be liable for a punishment if he allowed the young boxer to leave without GAB’s permission.
Mungchaiyaphum lost his three previous fights in the Philippines against Joma Gamboa, Rodel Mayol and Wyndell Janiola. But he managed to win two titles, the Asian Boxing Council light flyweight title before he has crowned as the new World Boxing Federation international minimumweight champion by beating Filipino fighter Richard Garcia over 12 round last February in Thailand.
