May 27, 2008
TOKYO, JAPAN
It was very disgraceful that a show featuring WBC#10 super-fly Daigo Nakahiro and Thailander Mongkolchai Singmanasak scheduled last Sunday was abruptly cancelled after the weigh-in of the previous day in Tokyo, Japan. It was because Global Kyoei Promotions, presided by Mack Kanehira, couldn’t prepare the necessary money to rent the arena (the Differ Ariake) and carry out the promotion to pay to fourteen boxers on the card.
We heard such cancellations sometimes happened in some countries, but cannot believe it really took place here in Japan as we thought they were just foreign affairs. He desperately asked for the financial help of the Japan Pro Boxing Association (JPBA), which rejected his solicitation because the JPBA would not like to make it an example for the Association to lend money to any impresario. The promoter then sat down on the ground to apologize to the boxers and managers for his failure to do his promotion as scheduled.
The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) started its investigation on the shameful incident on Monday and will indefinitely suspend the Global Kyoei Promotions. The JBC also told the promoter to refund the tickets to the customers and mutually-agreed penalties (some percentage of the purses) to the boxers. It shouldn’t happen again.
(5-27-08)