Manager claims robbery after Onggocan drops Martin, loses decision in Germany

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The manager/trainer of boxer Robert Onggocan claims the Filipino fighter was the victim of a dubious verdict in a 10-round decision loss to Mirco Martin on Saturday, August 12 (Sunday, August 13, Manila time) in Saarbrücken, Germany.

No scores were announced in the ring afterwards, only for fans to be informed that the local fighter had been judged the victor of the flyweight fight, said Dino Olivetti.

“In the first two rounds Robert almost knocked him out,” said Olivetti of the Biñan, Laguna-based Olivetti Boxing Gym. “In the second round Mirco is knocked down and almost can’t stand up but the referee gave him a very long time to rest. 

“Then Robert followed it up, the referee stopped the [action] and gave Robert a warning for I don’t know what.” 

The loss was just the second for 21-year-old Dapitan City native Onggocan (9-2, 5 knockouts), who had used his last purse to buy his father a tricycle so he could earn a living. Martin, 25, is now 10-0 (5 KOs).

Video shared by Olivetti, taken by the German husband of a locally-based Filipina, showed about 20 seconds had elapsed between Onggocan scoring a knockdown on a left uppercut. A warning for an unclear foul as Onggocan followed up allowed Martin additional time to recover.

Robert Onggocan drops Mirco Martin in round 2. Martin gets a 20-count to recover. Ref warns Onggocan for phantom infraction to help Martin pic.twitter.com/ADl7WRCffi

— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) August 13, 2017

 

 

Olivetti said the referee allowed Martin to wrestle without a warning or deduction, and that Onggocan was nearly thrown out of the ring in the late rounds. Onggocan was cut by an accidental headbutt in the sixth round. Full video of the fight has not yet been released.

“When they announced that Mirco is the winner, some in the audience booed and shouted Robert’s name,” said Olivetti. “And we don’t know what the decision is, if it is unanimous, split or what. Only the announcer says, ‘In the blue corner, Mirco Martin.’ I didn’t see the announcer have something to read, he only announced.” 

No meal allowance

Another point of contention are allegations that the promoter did not provide the team a meal allowance, a standard courtesy for fighters coming in from out of town, and that they were not given a guide to help them find their way around the area.

“I asked for my meal allowance, they asked, ‘What is meal allowance?'” said Olivetti.

“So [the promoter] asked me to go to a convenience store but said what you can only buy to eat is bread and drinks. For me it’s no problem; my concern is my boxer.

“Then he gave us 20€. I don’t have any idea what can I buy for 20€.”

Olivetti said bananas and an alternative to Gatorade cost 6.50€, and he did not have enough left for the 17.50€ bill at a nearby Italian restaurant for a meal with rice.

“I told to the waitress that I’ll come back, I lied that I have to buy also a drink. The waitress told me, ‘You come back in 15 minutes,’ but the truth is I need to go back to the hotel to message the promoter to borrow 5€. My feelings were hurt when he answered my message that we are [also in the restaurant]. When I saw them eating I wanted to scream,” said Olivetti.

A message to the promoter, Michael Siegel of Baden Box Promotions, was not immediately returned. Dominik Junge, who is listed on Boxrec as Martin’s promoter, denied the claims about the food allowance, claiming in an email that the crowd booed due to Onggocan’s tactics, which he called “dirty.”

“Boxing is more [than] only stupid punching,” said Junge. “[It’s] ring dominance, controlling, moving, defense.

“The three first points are clearly on the side of Mirco Martin.”

Onggocan was unaware of what occurred prior to the fight. His concern was what happened during and afterwards.

“[Robert] told me he was sorry, but I said there was nothing to say sorry about because I know and everyone who knows boxing knows Robert won the fight.”

Onggocan and Olivetti were set to return from Frankfurt, Germany to the Philippines on Sunday. – Rappler.com