Philippines, 12 Feb 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


GAB disowns boxing garbage


PhilBoxing.com




Fritz Gaston, in his third month as head of the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) boxing division, has clarified that they?ve been doing their best to institute reforms and, at the same time, make Philippine boxing both a safe and noble territory.

For the record, Gaston?s office has been taken to task for the alarming mismatches that were staged in Cebu last March, wherein two Indonesian fighters, with a dozen of defeats between themselves, were pitted against two unbeaten fast-rising Filipino boxers.

The shameless mismatches, that saw the two Indonesians getting stopped cold one after the other inside one minute of the first round, drew severe criticism from fans and experts who branded the foul bouts garbage.

Gaston said it was unfair to blame the GAB for the dangerous and sickening mismatches.

He explains:

?The ratings show us that in the Jr. Featherweight, Jack Tepora is number 1 and Yon Armed is number 14. In the Jr. Flyweight Cristian Araneta is number 5 and Demsi Manufoe is number 8. (We can?t download the Oriental ratings). From these info we know that all four fighters are rated in the top 15, meaning these boxers know how to box, which is surprising (and unfortunate for the promoter) that both Indons fell in the 1st rounds which in hindsight was easy to comment that they were mismatches. The question that must be in our minds is how WBO rates the boxers and how it gave sanction to these championship fights. Because to GAB the primordial concern is the safety of the boxer.

As long as a boxer has a license, with medical clearance and approval from his local boxing organization then he?ll be allowed to fight. To me, it?s not fair to say GAB should not allow fights that seem lopsided against the Filipino fighter and when the fight is lopsided in favor of the Filipino we should not have allowed. No win situation for the promoters and managers. As one great boxer friend said ?the only time a fight is a mismatch is when one fighter only has one arm? Thank you very much.?

Photo: Unbeaten junior featherweight prospect Jack Tepora (L) sends his Indonesian opponent Armed to the canvas in the first round during their WBO regional title fight last month in Cebu. Photo by Levi Deresas.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Day One Concludes at 2026 USA Boxing International Open
    , Thu, 12 Feb 2026
  • Female Boxing GOAT Katie Taylor to be Special guest at All-N.E. Golden Gloves Thursday, Feb. 12, in Lowell, MA
    , Thu, 12 Feb 2026
  • Brandon McCarthy Signs with Wise Owl Boxing, Set to Make Noise at 135 lbs
    , Thu, 12 Feb 2026
  • Filipino Boxers Set for Action on Valentine's Day in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Oklahoma Outplays LA Lakers, 119-110; Arrests Skid to Hold on to League Lead
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Malaya Vibrations to play gig at 5th MFPI Mindanao Summit
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Fight of the Night in Thailand: Ador Torres and Sairike Tuolewutayi Battle to a Thrilling Draw
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Young Australian Benji Birchell Claims Title Win in Thailand
    , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Tickets for the Inaugural “Mike Tyson Invitational” Amateur Fight Night on Saturday, March 14, in Las Vegas Are on Sale Now
    , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • 2026 USA Boxing Men's Elite High Performance Team and Squad Rosters Announced
    , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • IIEE, SAEP shared lead, PIChE won 3rd in a row in the PTC WED NEMO Chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • The Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo RETURNS! Saturday May 2, 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
    , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 9 FEBRUARY 2026: Figueroa Stops Ball in 12; Medina Outpoints Curiel; Asanau, Unal Win in Montreal
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • Paradero gets a rematch against Francisco
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • Carcedo wins WBA Asia South super welterweight title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • Shark attack in Florida Marco “El Tiburón” Romero Making waves on Feb. 19
    , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • 19-1 Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga returns on February 21 to Atlantic City
    , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • 2026 USA Boxing Elite High Performance Women's Team and Squad Rosters Announced
    , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • Filipino child prodigy Asher Judd Sy tops the 3rd King’s College Bangkok Chess Championship
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • Chaos in Liverpool: Figueroa Silences Echo Arena with 12th-Round Fireworks
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 08 Feb 2026
  • Gabriel Santisima Stuns Unbeaten World Ranked and WBO Asia Pacific Champion Subaru Murata to Capture WBO Asia Pacific Title at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
    , Sun, 08 Feb 2026
  • Lucky "Batang Quiapo" Salvador defeats Rhaky "Roj" Constantino
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 08 Feb 2026
  • Nick Ball vs Brandon Figueroa: Scrappy Styles Matchup in Liverpool
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 07 Feb 2026
  • Undefeated Middleweight Sebastian Juarez Returns to the Ring February 6 in Guadalajara
    , Fri, 06 Feb 2026
  • Esquillo, Arpilleda to compete at Lunar Horse Battle Royal 10-Ball Tournament at Pacman's Cue Club
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 06 Feb 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.