Suarez left out, again

Charly Suarez just can’t seem to catch a break.

First, Emanuel Navarrete sidesteps a dangerous rematch with him after their first fight was ruled a no-contest. Instead, Navarrete gambles on becoming unified super featherweight champion against O’Shaquie Foster, and loses by unanimous decision. Foster therefore owns the WBC, WBO and IBF belts. Now, Top Rank founder Bob Arum is making plans to throw Vasiliy Lomachenko into the mix, using Suarez as a stepping stone. This is not a Halloween prank.

Suarez is the mandatory WBO challenger. He initially lost to then-champion Navarrete after a cut over the Mexican’s left eye was mistakenly ruled the result of a headbutt. The decision was nullified, and for the last year and a half, Suarez has been waiting for another chance at a world title. Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and former three-division champion, retired last year, and was seen at ringside of the Navarrete-Foster card. Arum has announced that the Ukrainian will fight Suarez first, then challenge Foster and finally fulfill his dream of becoming undisputed champion in the weight class.

Wait a minute. Suarez stepped aside with the understanding that he would fight the winner between Navarrete and Foster. Does that mean Arum is disregarding that, and thinks that Lomachenko can beat Suarez and therefore earn the shot against Foster, to the point that he’s making plans for a fight after that. But Foster’s also shown interest in Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis. What?

This dizzying turn of events is a huge slap in the face of Suarez, the undefeated contender who has patiently worked his way up the rankings after a long and distinguished career on the Philippine national team. Where is all this disrespect coming from? Is the “King’s Warrior” too humble for his own good? Is Loma perceived as the bigger draw, or is Charly considered an outsider? At 38, the clock is ticking against the Filipino.

As agreements go, Arum has proven time and again that agreements are like smoke, easily blown away and disregarded. Remember how he treated Manny Pacquiao before and after the “Battle of Brisbane” against Jeff Horn? When Pacquiao lost (some loudly say he was cheated), he was being relegated to undercard material.

Promoters are independent private organizations with no government authority having jurisdiction over them. Should one state athletic commission regulate them, they just move their events to a friendlier state. Who is going to fight for Charly Suarez and help him get the title shot he has rightfully earned by playing by the rules?

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The post-career lives of Olympic medalist brothers Roel and Onyok Velasco are revealed on “Masters of the Game,” airing on IBC 13, DWAN 1206 AM, YouTube and Facebook today at 5:15 p.m.