By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Former World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Gerry Penalosa scored a second round TKO over Thailand’s 19 year old Samingkao Chutipol in a farcical fight that had angry fans walking out and lambasting both the promoter and the Games and Amusements Board for allowing and sanctioning such a fight which was a terrible disservice to fight fans. According to well-known boxing writer and judge Salven Lagumbay the Thai “didn’t know how to box because he was definitely not a boxer” raising speculations that he was a waiter or gardener masquerading as a pro fighter.
Highly respected and admired boxing patron from Cebu Tony Aldeguer said “this is what is killing boxing. It is unfair to the fans who pay good money to watch these fights. The promoters are to be blamed, not the fighters” even as several other known boxing figures wanted to know how the Games and Amusements Board boxing division under Atty. Noli Flores could even sanction such a travesty.
Manila Standard was unable to check with GAB Chairman Eduardo Villanueva about the sanctioning of the fight since Villanueva underwent an emergency eye operation over the weekend which according to leading eye specialist Dr. Arnold Salud had to be done to prevent him from going blind.
Chutipol didn’t even know the fundamentals of boxing and after being decked twice went down a third time when Penalosa faked a punch but didn' hit him. According to Lagumbay Chutipol “just dropped without a punch connecting. He was so scared." Penalosa’s first comeback fight after his announced retirement in December 2002 following his controversial loss to world champion Masamori Tokuyama did nothing to enhance the former champion’s reputation. Chutipol’s ring record was non-existent and the well-known website boxingrec.com indicated it was the Thai’s first fight while Penalosa who was fighting his 52nd ring battle improved his record to 47-5-2 with 32 knockouts.
In a supporting bout which was also a lackluster affair, former WBC flyweight champion Malcolm Tunacao scored a unanimous ten round decision over Bernard Oclus, another nondescript fighter. Tunacao showed flashes of his old self but clearly lacked stamina and added to the misery of fight fans who had expected much more from two former Cebuano world champions and attended the fights hoping that they would meet worthy opponents.
