BY WAYLON GALVEZ
Boxing is next in the line that would be allowed to resume training by the government and veteran local trainer Edito Villamor considers it pleasant news.
“Kung mapapayagan, e talagang good news yan,” said Villamor, one of the five trainers of the Cebu-based Ala Boxing Promotions. “Matagal tagal na din talaga na walang boxing.”
Ala is among the local promoters affected by the community quarantine by the government because of the coronavirus outbreak last March that saw its more than 20 boxers to stop training.
That also resulted to pay cuts for most who opted to return home while others stayed to do different jobs.
However, Games and Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Abraham Mitra said Saturday that like basketball and football, professional boxing is also on its way to resuming its training and eventually a fight.
Mitra said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases approved boxing but under strict health protocols where boxers, and even referees will have to undergo mandatory swab testing for COVID-19.
“Yung boxing pumayag na provided that both boxers and the referees are tested negative and after three days, laban na sila. After testing iko-confine sila,” Mitra said on The Chasedown.
“Sabi ng IATF papayagan lang namin ang boxing pag negative parehas (boxers). Even the referee will be tested because he will be in the middle,” added Mitra, a former Palawan governor.
Mitra said the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) for boxing is still being finalized, unlike in professional basketball and football as the PBA and PFL were given the ‘green light’ Monday.
Aside from GAB, the JAO also includes the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
With the guidance of the IATF, the letter approving the training of PBA and PFL squads was signed by Mitra, health Secretary Francisco Duque III, PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez.
