The Games and Amusement Board (GAB) has not been amiss in its reminders for boxers and promoters not to climb the ring until a clear-cut agreement is made regarding the payment of fight purse.
GAB chairman Ramon Guanzon stressed this out following the sad fates that befell former champion Luisito Espinosa and world titlist Rey Loreto, who both remain unpaid to this day for their respective title winnings.
?The most we could do is to advise them not to go up the ring or fight unless their purse is put in an escrow or somewhere else,? said Guanzon in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Shakey?s Malate, where he was accompanied by boxing division chief Dr. Nasser Cruz.
?Otherwise, the prerogative still belongs to the boxer and manager to fight.?
Of the two world champions, Espinosa?s case was the most high-profiled.
The 47-year-old Espinosa has yet to collect the amount of $130,349 owed him for his 1997 World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight championship match against Carlos Rios in Koronadal, South Cotabato.
The Court of Appeals though, recently ruled in favor of Espinosa as it reversed an earlier ruling by the Regional Trial Court of Manila which dismissed the case.
Named respondents were the late promoter Rod Nazario, matchmaker Lito Mondejar, and former South Cotabato Governor Hilario de Pedro III.
The estate of Nazario, who died in 2009, is liable for the amount, according to the court ruling, although it can only be applied on assets and funds inherited from the late promoter of boxing great Manny Pacquiao.
Charges against Mondejar was dismissed since he was not a signatory of the contract, while De Pedro was absolved for ?failure to prosecute? in behalf of Espinosa.
Despite the favorable ruling, Guanzon could only sympathize with the retired boxing great.
?Kung ako sa kanya, I?ll just negotiate with the respondents. Matagal pa rin kasi yan, puwede pa rin kasing iangat sa Supreme Court ?yung kaso,? said the GAB chairman in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Shakey?s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
?Nababasa ko pa lang naman sa mga news reports but very pessimistic ako about Louie,? added Guanzon, who admitted he hasn?t seen a copy yet of the CA decision.
Loreto, 23, has also yet to claim his prize money amounting to $42,000 for his March 24 title defense of the International Boxing Organization (IBO) junior flyweight belt in East London, South Africa.
The Filipino scored a first round knockout of South African challenger Nkosinathi Joyi.
Guanzon said the GAB has already made the proper communication with the Boxing South Africa, although the least its African counterpart could do is to blacklist the promoter, Siphatho Handi.
