STAR-BULLETIN / MAY 2002
Referee Abe Pacheco counted out Sandro Oviedo as Brian Viloria celebrated. If Viloria manager Gary Gittelsohn gets his way, Viloria won't fight on another card that includes Pacheco.
Viloria manager
threatens boycottGittelsohn won't have his
boxer fight on any card
if Pacheco is ref
The Hawaii Boxing Commission thought it put the feud between its top referee and its top draw's camp to rest.
But it may have just begun.
Last night Gary Gittelsohn said he is finished with the commission because of its continued backing of referee Abraham Pacheco. Gittelsohn says Pacheco grossly mishandled Brian Viloria's TKO victory against Valentin Leon last month.
Gittelsohn, Viloria's top advisor, says Viloria will not fight in any promotion if Pacheco is a referee on the card -- any fight on the card, not just Viloria's.
The commission met yesterday and declared the matter over with, unless it receives an official complaint from Gittelsohn.
"That's a done deal," commissioner Herb Chock said. "I'd like to drop it and proceed to do positive things."
Pacheco sent a letter to the commission defending the job he did. The commission responded with a letter to Pacheco saying that it will stand behind him, but cautioning him about his use of ambiguous hand signals, something that happened in the Viloria-Leon bout.
Gittelsohn says he has not had time to file a formal complaint, and that calls to interim executive officer June Kamioka, whose tenure ends June 27, were not returned. He says that even if he does figure out a way to file a complaint, it won't be to Kamioka.
"If I file a formal complaint, it will be with the governor of Hawaii, not the commission," Gittelsohn said. "The commission's public protection of Abe Pacheco has dug a hole that is not only disappointing but could have disastrous results as far as major boxing coming to Hawaii."
The commission briefly discussed the possibility of censuring Gittelsohn for climbing into the ring to confront Pacheco.
"No licensee may verbally or physically abuse an official," commission advisor Bobby Lee said. "But Gary is not licensed (in Hawaii)."
Commission chairman Randy Ahlo says his group is hoping things will come together eventually.
"We want to be respectful to both Abe Pacheco and Gary Gittelsohn," Ahlo said. "Brian Viloria is part of our future in boxing and I would hope he would want to fight here, but you can't let the tail wag the dog. We will cross that bridge when we get there."
In other commission news, Don Tsark of the Kalihi Boxing Club filed a complaint with the commission last week trying to get Mark Mareko's loss to Rodney Joseph on April 15 overturned.
Tsark says that referee Milton Higa charged Mareko with a knockdown on a slip in the first round, and it cost Mareko the fight, which Joseph won by decision. Commission members said they can't overturn a judge's decision, but agreed to review a tape of the fight as an educational experience.
Willes Lee was also appointed to the commission yesterday, taking George Amemoto's spot. Amemoto could not continue due to health reasons.
