GAB sends letter to appeal Saludar’s case

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Chairman Abraham Kahlil Mitra has sent a letter to the World Boxing Association (WBA), appealing  for a clarification on the issue surrounding “Vicious” Vic Saludar’s claim for the WBA world minimumweight title.

It can be recalled that WBA’s official website published an article stating that Saludar’s split decision victory over compatriot Robert “Super Inggo” Paradero in Laguna was intended for the “interim” title and not for the regular title. 

Read: Confusion in Saludar’s victory: Interim or regular world title?

Mitra’s letter, which was shared to CDN Digital on Thursday, February 25, 2021, was addressed to WBA President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza and to WBA’s chairman of the Championships Committee Carlos Chavez. 

In the letter, Mitra pointed out that Chavez already notified them that the Saludar-Paradero showdown was for a regular title based on various letters sent to the WBA.

“Based on various letters by Mr. Carlos Chavez, Championship Committee Chairman, to the Promoter, Mr. Bebbot Elorde, and in turn sent to us, the Saludar-Paradero fight was for a Regular Title,”  part of the letter reads.

Mitra also pointed out important rules from the WBA that would prove that Saludar and Paradero’s bout was for the regular WBA world minimumweight title and not for the interim title. 

“Hence, we believe that the Championship Committee rightfully had its discretion to declare that the championship bout between Saludar and Paradero was a Regular Title Fight (Rule C.29) and that Saludar can be appointed or elevated as Regular Champion (Rules C.28 and C.30),” the letter stated. 

Confusing

Mitra also said in his letter that the WBA’s minimumweight division has no regular world champion after the erstwhile champion, Thammanoon Niyomtrong of Thailand, was elevated to the “super” world champion status. Hence, he vacated the regular world title.  

“Overall, we believe that that since there is no current Regular Champion in the minimumweight, and following WBA rule, Mr. Niyomtrong could have been stripped from his Super title, the title that Vic Saludar, upon the good discretion of the WBA Championship Committee, should understandably be recognized as Regular Champion belt.” Mitra included in his letter. 

What makes it more confusing is that the WBA championship committee ordered negotiations between the No.1 and No. 2 contenders in the minimumweight division for a mandatory world title bout last January. The WBA minimumweight division’s top contender is Mexico’s Jose Argumedo (23W-4L-1D, 14KOs) while Nicaragua’s Byron Rojas (27W-4L-3D, 11 KOs) is No.2. 

Mitra told CDN Digital that he is waiting for WBA’s reply, which hasn’t come as of this posting. 

But he is kind of worried if he will get a reply especially after his previous letter intended to appeal WBA’s decision to strip Senator Manny Pacquiao’s of his WBA super welterweight title due to failure of defending it and due to inactivity went unanswered. 

/bmjo