Featherweight boxer Lorenzo Villanueva, unbeaten in 14 pro fights, could readily qualify as an aspirant Manny Pacquiao.
Those 14 bouts were scored by the gifted fighter from Midsayap, North Cotabato by knockouts.
However, Villanueva?s promising career suffered a dirty dent on May 23.
He took his first defeat.
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It was no ordinary loss.
Villanueva was declared loser in what his chief handler claimed was a clearly won fight.
Reporting from Kidapawan, newsman Caloy Bautista said administrative and criminal charges were being prepared against ?GAB supervisor Vic Cabalog for grave dereliction of duty.?
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Said the report: ?North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pi?ol has formally asked the Games and Amusements Board to investigate the controversial fight between top featherweight prospect Lorenzo Villanueva of Midsayap, North Cotabato and Eric Macas of Lanao del Norte in Ozamis City last May 23.?
Pi?ol, who manages Villanueva, said the fight, scheduled for 10 rounds, was clearly dominated by Villanueva.
As early as the first round, Villanueva inflicted a cut over the right eye of Macas.
In the fifth round, Macas suffered another cut below his right eye.
The ring physician next declared Macas unfit to continue.
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?To our surprise, referee Delbert Pelegrino declared the cut was caused by a headbutt,? Pi?ol protested.
What confounded the situation, Pi?ol added, was the questionable scoring of the local judges who had Macas winning in two of the three scorecards.
To prove his point, Pi?ol, who was working with the TV panel covering the fight for ABS-CBN, asked their technical director to immediately replay the action preceding the stoppage of the fight.
The video clearly showed there was never a clash of heads and that the cut was caused by a legitimate blow, Pi?ol said.
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Sure of his case, Pi?ol declared in public that he was contesting the decision.
Pi?ol said he begged GAB supervisor Vic Cabalog to review the tape but Cabalog ignored his request.
Actually, Cabalog had suggested that he would ask the parties into agreeing to a draw.
Pi?ol said he was willing to compromise.
?But that did not happen because the technical decision victory for Macas stood and was never changed,? Pi?ol said.
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There were two valid grounds for the GAB to conduct an investigation, according to Pi?ol:
First was the questionable scoring of the fight in favor of Macas, while the bout was clearly dominated by Villanueva. Cabalog also included in the panel of judges Cyrusman Manatad, son of boxing referee Andres Manatad, a known employee of Macas?s boxing manager, Bong Yap.
Second was the questionable call made by referee Pelegrino declaring the cut was caused by a headbutt, despite the absence of evidence.
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Pi?ol said he will submit to the GAB a copy of the fight videotape to support his case.
Pi?ol has lodged his protest with the office of commissioner Angel P. Bautista, officer-in-charge of the GAB.
It?s indeed a petty bout if we go by the many crucial cases?like the fight for ancestral lands which the government had tried to blindly award to rebels?Pi?ol has involved himself.
Of course, it?s easy to believe Pi?ol is doing this as a test for Philippine boxing.
It?s also significant to note that Pi?ol, hoping for immediate action, has presented his case to commissioner Bautista, not to Eric Buhain or Nasser Cruz, GAB chair and boxing division chief, respectively.
