Martin elected
to another term

There was no handshake, but there was an agreement.

Hawaii amateur coaches and officials elected Ralph Martin to another four-year term as president of their USA Boxing chapter in a meeting presided over by Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier.

Martin was elected to a full term in 2001, but Wahiawa Boxing Club official Carl Phillips took him to court to have the election overturned. Phillips won that fight, but after the new vote, the results of the election didn't change.

Martin ran against Eiichi Jumawan of Pearlside Boxing Club, and his term was set to expire this year.

"The governing body expressed their feeling that I must be doing the right job," Martin said. "Now we just have to carry it on because we have a good program going and we just have to follow the rules. Everybody in one way or another is supposed to be for the boxers."

Phillips' camp was silent throughout the meeting, except when Phillips' wife, Connie, told Martin she expects to see a full audit of the organization's books. Martin said that he will have an audit done.

Last month, Martin was told to turn over his financial records to the Hawaii State Boxing Commission.

Carl Phillips and his supporters left following the meeting, and Phillips refused to comment for the record. Phillips, who runs the state's Golden Gloves program, has accused Martin of denying his athletes a chance to fight.

Frazier said he is optimistic his work righting the ship is done and that all parties will move forward.

"I think there has been a lot of healing," Frazier said. "It was a very orderly run election and I think there was so much cooperation because people were ready to move and put this behind them."

The only other opposed election was for treasurer, where Kimberly Lewis defeated Roxanne Yoshida. Other appointments were Joel Kim as vice president, Kathleen Rodriguez as secretary, Bruce Kawano as Junior Olympic chairman, Edwin Galapia as the coaches' representative, Theodore Fabella as registration chairman and Della Martin as chief of officials.

Ten coaches and athlete representative Brent Rodrigues voted in the elections, which were witnessed by WBC judge Chuck Williams.