Future Hawai'i fights for Viloria threatened

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

A rift between the manager of Brian Viloria and a veteran boxing referee could threaten any future bouts in Hawai'i for the popular Waipahu boxer.

Brian Viloria, left, watches as referee Abe Pacheco checks on Valentin Leon. Viloria's manager, Gary Gittelsohn, was incensed over Pacheco's handling of the Tuesday bout and vowed: "No fighter of mine will ever be in the ring where he's the referee." Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

"No fighter of mine will ever be in the ring where he's the referee," said Gittelsohn, who claimed that Pacheco gave confusing hand signals, did not stop the fight soon enough and failed to follow procedures following knockdowns.

Pacheco declined to comment after the fight and attempts to reach him yesterday were unsuccessful. However, a member of the Hawai'i State Boxing Commission called Gittelsohn's allegations overblown and said commission members supported Pacheco.

"Abe Pacheco did a credible job in a difficult fight to referee," said boxing commission member Eiichi Jumawan. "It was difficult more so because of the antics of Leon. This guy was a very crafty and smart fighter."

Pacheco, 64, has overseen dozens of bouts, including world title fights in Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.

He often referees marquee bouts here and worked all three professional fights involving Viloria, who has singlehandedly led a resurgence of professional boxing in the state. Tuesday night's card drew a capacity crowd of 2,500.

"Right now, Abe Pacheco is the top guy we got," said Jumawan, who said referee assignments are done on rotation.

Jumawan said Pacheco has been a referee since 1976 and his experience makes him "one of the best referees in Hawai'i, if not the best."

That opinion isn't shared by one corner.

"Abe Pacheco is the worst referee I've ever seen," Gittelsohn said. "I'm going to provide the commission with film to make sure they understand that the guy shouldn't be refereeing professional contests, let alone marquee contests when we come back to Hawai'i."

Leon was knocked down six times during the bout before Pacheco stopped the fight eight seconds into the eighth round. Leon did not appear to be hurt and pranced around the ring afterward.

Gittelsohn confronted Pacheco in the ring after the fight and continued his criticism outside of it until Pacheco told the manager to calm down or risk possible injury.

Jumawan said the commission — once it receives Gittelsohn's written complaint — will look into the matter and take any action necessary to protect the fighters and the paying public. He did not say what that action would be.

As of yesterday, no commission members, including interim Hawai'i State Boxing Commissioner June Kamioka, were critical of Pacheco's performance, Jumawan said. He said the commission will meet next week and discuss whether Gittelsohn's complaints have merit.

Jumawan said he firmly believes that Gittelsohn was just supporting his fighter, but was a little too harsh in addressing the referee.

"I think Gary is a good manager because he fights for his fighter tooth and nail," Jumawan said. "But in the heat of the action, he kind of escalated it one step too high."

Jumawan, a former standout boxer and referee, said that Leon resorted to trickery that sometimes fooled Viloria and Pacheco.

In the second round, Leon faked dropping to one knee before he stabilized himself and struck an unsuspecting Viloria with a combination.

In the fourth round, Viloria knocked Leon to the canvas. Thinking he had won, Viloria jumped on the ring ropes in celebration. However, Pacheco ruled that Leon slipped and signaled by shaking his head and waving his arms similar to how a baseball umpire would call "safe."

Gittelsohn argued that Pacheco's hand signals were confusing and could be interpreted that he was stopping the bout. The fight continued and Viloria wandered into the middle of the ring with his hands down and was hit again.

"I thought I had won because I saw the referee wave his hand like it was over," Viloria said. "I jumped on the ropes. I looked back down and (Leon) was still up."

When asked what he thought about the referee's performance, Viloria said: "I thought the fight was over, sometimes. The referee was just mediocre tonight."

Gittelsohn said the fight should have been called in the seventh round after Leon was knocked down for the second time in the round. But Pacheco waved off ring physician Wayne Lee, who had climbed the apron in an attempt to examine Leon.

"It was obvious, not only to the crowd, but to the doctor that the kid was taking too much punishment," Gittelsohn said. "The referee waved him off."

However, Jumawan said that the doctor's "timing was late" and that Lee should have attempted to check Leon while Pacheco was giving the fighter the mandatory eight count, not afterward.

Jumawan said if Lee wanted to stop the fight, he could have done so at the end of the round, "and Abe Pacheco would have listened to him."

Gittelsohn also said that Pacheco failed to wipe Leon's gloves after some knockdowns to get rid of any "rosin and dirt" that can stick to the gloves and injure opponents.

Jumawan said Pacheco "may have missed one or two times" wiping Leon's gloves. "I don't think it was intentional on Mr. Pacheco's part."

Jumawan said he was uncertain if the commission would give into Gittelsohn's wish and use another referee if Viloria fights in Hawai'i again, perhaps next year.

"No commission wants to be bullied around," Jumawan said. "Who knows a year from now, when Brian is ready to come back here and if he's world champion, maybe Gary's feelings won't be as strong."