Pro boxing approved under MGCQ

MANILA, Philippines — Boxing was included among the pro sports that were given the provisional green light to restart by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Games and Amusements Board chairman Baham Mitra, however, said yesterday fights may be allowed only under MGCQ starting in August with the government agency now drafting reopening protocols for approval by the Department of Health (DOH) before the signing of the PSC-GAB-DOH Joint Administrative Order (JAO) to make it official.

The other day, the DOH presided in an IATF-sanctioned consultative conference involving stakeholders to flush out pending issues with Mitra raising the matter of pro boxing that was excluded in the proposed JAO but approved during the IATF meeting last week.

There were about 30 participants in the consultative zoom conference, including PSC Officer-In-Charge Ramon Fernandez, officials from the Department of Education, PBA legal counsel Atty. Melvin Mendoza, IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas, boxing trainer/manager Joven Jimenez, Cucuy Elorde, MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes, MPBL legal counsel Atty. Brando Viernesto, PVL president Ricky Palou, UAAP executive director Atty. Rebo Saguisag, MPBL team owner Rep. Dong Gonzales, Chooks To Go 3x3 commissioner Eric Altamirano and BCAP president Louie Gonzales.

Mitra said because the DOH had health concerns about boxing, it was excluded in the restart proposal to the IATF by the Technical Working Group. But in the IATF meeting, Secretaries Eduardo Año and Silvestre Bello batted for the restart of pro boxing, along with pro basketball and pro football, for humanitarian reasons.

“The motion to include pro boxing was carried but it wasn’t mentioned in the announcement to media,” said Mitra. “I was able to secure a copy of the minutes of the IATF meeting in time for the consultative conference. The IATF asked for the consultative conference with stakeholders to make sure we cover all bases before the JAO is submitted, approved and signed.”