Saipan boxers crying for reform

Saipan boxers are alarmed over the current state of the sport on the island.

Without a coach for years now and minus the needed support from local boxing clubs that have come and gone, the fighters were dealt yet another blow a few months ago when they lost their training facility at the William S. Reyes Elementary School.

Now, the growing ranks of prizefighters make do with what little they have. They have found a new home at the Marianas High School Gymnasium but the facility is not really for boxing.

Save for a punching bag, a speed bag and a double string, the gym’s boxing equipment is inadequate at best and the boxers are not content with just sparring among themselves on the facility’s multi-purpose court—what they really need is a boxing ring.

But the lack of a training facility and equipment is only half the story. Saipan’s boxers are most furious on the way promoters have taken advantage of their passion for the sport, which in turn has prevented the boxers from improving the level of the sport on the island.

Twenty-one-year-old Gerald Naputi said that he doesn’t really mind fighting for free as long as the boxers get some gratuity that they could use to buy equipment and improve facilities.

“Let me just make myself clear. I’m not into boxing for the money. We’re all amateur boxers here but the broken promises and lack of transparency after fights have somewhat lowered our morale and is actually more depressing than the state of our sport,” he said.

Naputi said he spends an average of $100 to $150 on boxing equipment a month and it’s just crazy the notion that promoters expect them to fight in their profit-making events without the boxers expecting something in return.

MHS sports director Jim Feger, who has taken the role of surrogate father to Saipan’s boxers, comes to the defense of the boxers when it comes to demanding gratuity from the promoters.

“I know they are all amateurs and should not be paid at all for what they do inside the ring. But this is very different from the mainland. When you see promoters getting money out of boxing events and see these kids sharing mouthpieces and crotch pads, fighting wearing tennis shoes, and making do with gloves that have seen better days, then you kind of think that these boxers should get something out of the deal,” he said.

Feger, whose son Carlos is also into boxing, said he has advised the more than a dozen boxers that are training at MHS to demand from promoters a contract that would obligate them to donate parts of the proceeds to the boxers.

He also suggested to Naputi and company that the boxing promoters make transparent earnings from the said fights.

The younger Feger reminisces the structure and organization of the Saipan Swim Club, which he was a member of. He said boxing couldn’t hope to reach the level of swimming on the island if promoters don’t give something back to the sport.

Jerry Cruz, another veteran boxer like Naputi, said aside from unfulfilled promises of getting paid and the lack of transparency, he also wants a reform on how promoters match-up boxers before events.

He said mismatches on weight have become more of the norm than the exception during fights. Cruz said this had led to controversial outcomes and could soon lead to injury or even death if allowed to continue.

“The way they do pairings before fights is just absurd. You can’t match a 150-lbs. fighter against someone who weighs just 135 lbs. It is unfair and is both an insult to the boxers and the fans,” he said.

Christopher Sablan, one of the greenhorns of group, also wishes that boxers be given adequate time to prepare for fights. He said promoters shouldn’t expect them to just cram months of training into a few weeks.

Sablan said the habit of pulling boxers to the side and promising them money to fight without adequate training should stop.

Marvin Seman, another newcomer, shares Sablan’s thoughts. He also said he loves boxing with a passion and is backing up Naputi and company in their pursuit of reform.

Naputi said it is for the benefit of the island’s up-and-coming and future boxers like Seman and Sablan that veterans like him and Cruz are making themselves heard.

“I would like to reiterate that this is neither for the money nor for fame. We’re into boxing because this is our passion. It’s just like playing basketball, baseball or any other sport. We’re into its because of our love of the game and it just pains us that others are taking advantage and profiting from something we put our hearts and souls into,” he said.

Jim Feger hopes Saipan’s boxers decision to go public wouldn’t be all in vain.

“They need our help. Boxing has a good future on Saipan. We have a few people who love the sport and are willing to do what is needed. Unfortunately, there are others who have other agendas. We just hope that there are more people out there ready to help than those who want to benefit from boxing.”