By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Games and Amusements Board commissioner Emmanuel Palabrica of the Philippines said yesterday that the four WBF International title fights on this Saturday's fight card dedicated to the memory of the "Grand Old Man" of Philippine boxing Lope "Papa" Sarreal have effectively been given the blessings of the GAB with the agency’s recognition of the juridical personality of the WBF.
Palabrica who is heading the GAB in the absence of Chairman Eduardo Villanueva who underwent emergency eye surgery over the weekend said he had spoken to WBF world president and director Mick Croucher of Australia yesterday and that Croucher would meet with GAB officials to discuss the plans of the WBF. Earlier in an email to the Manila Standard regarding his refusal to talk to the Standard during an overseas telephone conversation Croucher claimed it was his son who took the call and not him.
Croucher said the GAB had approved the September 25th fight card and he will be meeting with the members of the GAB and "submitting all relevant WBF paperwork to allow us (WBF) to sanction bouts in the Philippines". Croucher said he "intends to be able to sanction bouts for Filipino boxers in the future as I feel they are of the best ability in the world and I intend to, through Filipino promoters, enable Filipino boxers to have opportunities created for them worldwide and I strongly believe with the opportunities available with the WBF that the Philippines will be able to boast of one or two world champion boxers in 2005."
Commissioner Palabrica at the same time indicated that he would "look into" the issue of non-rated fighters with poor records being given title fights even as he conceded that it was unfair to the rated fighters. Palabrica said the GAB was "officially not required to approve" the title fights on Saturday because they were under the jurisdiction of the WBF and the titles belonged to the organization.
Featured in the fight card of international promoter Gabriel "Bebot" Elorde, grandson of "Papa" Sarreal and son of the legendary all-time great, the late world junior lightweight champion Gabriel "Flash" Elorde are Filipino flyweight Sukarno Banjao who clashes with Indonesia’s Yongki Afrizal, welterweight Rey Pelonia who is 32 years old (not 38 as erroneously earlier reported) who battles another Indonesian Ferri Wirawan, super flyweight Mark Sales who meets countryman Celso Danggod and Rey Orias who clashes for the vacant minimum weight crown against Benjie Sorolla.
