by Inessa Rivera
Remember that song “The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkel? It goes “I’m just a poor boy, though my story’s seldom told…” and its chorus goes “…lie-la-lie…” This song played over and over in my mind as a Filipino boxer told me his story. And when I read his Manager’s letter clarifying the issue, the chorus of the song “lie-la-lie, lie-la-lie, lie, lie, lie, lie…” reverberated louder in my mind.
This boxer has since then left Australia to return to his simple and less complicated life in the Philippines, and be amongst people who really care for him and love him – his own family.
How did you get here, I asked him. He said he was recommended by his friend to the Bohol Boxing Stable. He was very happy to be taken in by the said company. “Dollars, Ate ang ibabayad sa akin, marami akong maipapadala sa aking mga magulang” (I will be paid in dollars and I will be able to send lots of money to my parents), he told me. Mahirap lang kami, Ate. (We are very poor.) He said his plane ticket was paid for but he was the one who paid for his passport and other related expenses towards his travel to Australia.
Did you sign a contract? He said he did though he could not recall everything on it. “Wala akong kopya ng kontrata, Ate.” He was not given a copy of his contract.
Where were you staying? He stayed in his manager’s garage with other boxers. They had bunk beds with very thin cushions. “Namumulot kami Ate ng tinatapon na kumot at kutson. Pumupunta rin kami sa Vinnies. Alam mo iyon, Ate? Mura doon!”
How much did you get paid? He said that for a 4-round fight, their Manager is paid $800. Of the $800, he (the boxer) is given his $200 share (in cash), $200 goes to the Manager, and the rest ($400) goes towards the repayment of his debt (plane fare).
Can you describe to me your daily routine, I asked him. He said that they were like part of the household. They took turns washing dishes. Sometimes they cooked, sometimes someone else cooked for them. They also had household chores such as cleaning the yard, sweeping the floor, cleaning the aquarium, helping in the house. Then they train from 5 to 9 pm in a nearby gym.
How often and where do you fight? He said at least once a month and he had fought in Melbourne and Brisbane. Because this boxer is very passionate about boxing – he really loved boxing and he told me that he hopes to become a world champion like Pacquiao one day – he remembered each and every fight and every person he fought with. He was proud that he is agile and good, even boasting that even if he did not have lots of preparation, he can fight well. He however said that he became scared when he was made to fight a 69 kg boxer. This Filipino boxer is only 62 kg. In boxing, you have to have the same weight to fight each other so he said “Ate, pinainom nila ako ng maraming tubig tapos tinalian nila yung hita ko ng dumbbells para pareho ang aming timbang.” (They made me drink plenty of water and strapped dumbbells on my thighs to even up our weight.) Buti na lang Ate, mabilis akong nakaiwas. (It’s good that I am quick so I was able to avoid his jabs.)
The incident with the 69 kg boxer tipped him over. How can his manager allow such an uneven fight! He said he can ignore other disturbing things – like the garage they live in, the household chores they are given, the inconsiderate training they have to do even if sometimes they are sick – but to be told to fight like that was too much.
He left his Manager not knowing where to go and what to do. He left without his passport and return plane ticket. Both were being kept by the manager. Why were they being kept by him in the first place? Why didn’t he (the boxer) have a proper employment contract where his terms and conditions of employment were clearly stated? Why didn’t he (the boxer) have records of his pay and deductions – a proper payslip should have been given him.
Where can he really go? He didn’t know much about Australia let alone who he can approach to tell his story to. When I spoke to him he told me that he wanted people to know that he is a good boxer and wants to continue boxing. But he does not want other boxers to suffer the same way he did. With Arnel’s story, we requested the Philippine Consulate to get involved. Through them, we were able to obtain Arnel’s passport and plane ticket from Dido Bohol.
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