Philippines, 07 Jun 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


GAB Seeks to Help Restore Pacquiao As Full Champion; Asks Clarification, Guidance From WBA


PhilBoxing.com



Abraham Mitra.
The Games and Amusement Board (GAB) has invoked its mandate in protecting the interest of Filipino professional athletes in a determined bid to help restore Manny Pacquiao's full champion status with the World Boxing Association (WBA).

GAB through its Chairman Baham Mitra sent a two paged letter addressed to WBA President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza seeking further clarification on rules used in the case of Pacquiao and guidance on how the fighting Senator could regain his full champion status with the Panama based boxing organization.

Pacquiao was duly furnished copy of the same GAB letter sent to the WBA for his appropriate information and guidance.

It could be recalled that last month, the WBA issued a resolution stripping Pacquiao of its welterweight super championship he won in July 2019 against then American defending titlist Keith Thurman due to his failure to defend the same on account of his long ring inactivity.

The same resolution also relegated Pacquiao to the status of champion in recess. In his stead, the WBA designated its regular titlist Cuban Yordenis Ugas as super champion.

As the agency mandated by law to regulate and supervise professional boxing and other combat sports in the country, GAB requested the WBA to shed light on the matter involving the revocation of Senator Pacquiao’s WBA belt.

“GAB is mandated by law to champion the rights of every Filipino professional boxer at all times. That is why we are appealing to WBA to reconsider its decision,” Chairman Baham Mitra said.

Citing Rule C.22 and C.23 of the WBA Rules on reverting a ‘Champion in Recess’ to his former status, GAB would like to assist the 8-division champion to return from being Champion in Recess to the status of a Full Champion.

“We are studying the WBA Rules and we want to assist our good Senator who he may have to fight next. Also, we want to know from our partners in the WBA what particular documentation that we must have to comply with as WBA requirements, to regain the WBA belt, in case our Pinoy boxing champ opts to,” Chairman Mitra added.

Aside from the lack of prior advisement from the WBA on who Pacquiao should have fought for his supposed first defense of the super title and deadline he had to meet, there was also no prior notice of the forthcoming decision to strip him of the title.

Though there is a WBA policy that all boxers and their promoters and managers should be knowledgeable about its rules, it is also the obligation of the organization to constantly communicate, update and remind its members about the same, among other matters.

Likewise, there are questions on the application of the rules on Pacquiao as his extended ring inactivity and failure to make a defense have been largely due to the detrimental effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic to pro boxing globally.

Rule C.23 likewise needs clarification regarding the "interim champion" that the champion in recess has to fight and beat to return to full champion status. Does that refer to Ugas who is the appointed super champion in lieu of Pacquiao or the current WBA interim champion Jamal James?

The practice of WBA appropriating its world championship resulting to confusing number of world titlists in the same division has come under fire recently prompting calls for withdrawal of its recognition as a major boxing sanctioning body.

In 2019, the GAB also came in to support the move of the camp of Filipino minimumweight fighter ArAr Andales seeking to protest the controversial technical decision result of his lost WBA title fight versus Thai champion Knockout CP Freshmart. The Andales camp claimed the result should have been a TKO win as the eyelid cuts suffered by the Thai came as a result of legit blows, not accidental headbutts as alleged by the Thai corner to which the supposed neutral referee agreed to.

But the Andales camp no longer pursued the protest as the WBA appeal committee required them to pay a fee higher than the Andales purse for the fight.

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • RESULTS FROM TONIGHT’S “HALL OF FAME FIGHT NIGHT” PRESENTED BY SALITA PROMOTIONS & ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT LIVE ON DAZN AT THE TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO
    , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • Davis vs De Los Santos: The Fight That Never Was
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • 2 Filipino grandmasters join Touchmove chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • Keyshawn Davis Fight Canceled After Weight Miss, Mason-Nakathila Elevated to Main Event
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • Eumir Marcial Set to Battle Alexis Gaytán in Pacquiao's Comeback Show
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • SUNDAY: Fabio Turchi-Milans Volkovs Cruiserweight Showdown Headlines Italy Fight Card LIVE in the U.S. on ESPN+
    , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • Bomogao KOs Rubio in 1st round
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • REYES CUP SET FOR ELECTRIFYING RETURN TO MANILA, OCTOBER 16–19
    , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • King's Promotions June 19th Card at Wind Creek Event Center is Postponed Card Rescheduled for September 5th
    , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 7 - AMATEUR BOXING CAREER OF MUHAMMAD ALI
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Indiana, Haliburton Do It Again, Pacers Shock OKC on the Road, 111-110
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • STAR BOXING PRESENTS SPECIAL PRESS CONFERENCE-MONDAY
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Undefeated Super Bantamweight Chavez Barrientes Returns June 7th Against Sharone Carter on Most Valuable Prospects 13 Card
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Vasiliy Lomachenko Announces Retirement: A Glorious Chapter Closes in Boxing History
    By Dong Secuya, , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • “HALL OF FAME FIGHT NIGHT” OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND QUOTES
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Press Conference Notes: Keyshawn Davis Returns Home for Inaugural World Title Defense at Norfolk’s Scope Arena
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • DAZN PRESENTS NEW NO DAYS OFF EPISODE HIGHLIGHTING REIGNING UNIFIED SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION FRANCHÓN CREWS-DEZURN
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • ANTONIO VARGAS PENS CO-PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM AND BOXLAB
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Antimaro, Jimenez to fight in Japan on June 7
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • Keyshawn Davis vs. Edwin De Los Santos Fight Week Events to Stream LIVE on Top Rank’s Social Media Channels
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • “Prospects Collide” Full Card Announced
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • Correa Set for High-Stakes Bantamweight Showdown vs. Undefeated Michael Angeletti on ProBox TV
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • Kansas Athletic Commission overturns ‘No Contest’ to TKO win for undefeated Super middleweight prospect Marco Romero
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • 2nd JCI Senate Lipa Chess Festival set
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • RING III: TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR THRILLING JULY 12 NEW YORK DOUBLE HEADER FEATURING STEVENSON-ZEPEDA AND BERLANGA-SHEERAZ
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025




  •  



     
    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
    © 2025 philboxing.com.