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Puerto Princesa National boxfest host

01/19/2010

Even without the game’s biggest names, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) promised to give its best when Puerto Princesa City hosts the Smart-PLDT National Amateur Invitational Boxing Championship on Jan 25 to 29.

Abap executive director Ed Picson yesterday said the tournament has already attracted around 270 young boxers who are hoping to become part of the national youth team that will see action in the Asian qualifier in Baku, Azerbaijan in April — the gateway to the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics in August.

The participants were culled from the nationwide qualifying tournaments held in Tayabas, Quezon, (Luzon leg), Ormoc City (Visayas leg), Panabo City (Mindanao leg) and Mandaluyong City (National Capital Region leg) with age ranging from 11 to 18 years old.Members of the RP Team or the training pool were barred from competing to maintain high level competition and avoid lopsided bouts, which could hamper the fighting spirit of the young fighters.

“All potential talents will be there; it will be the battle among the bests,” said Picson during a two-hour press briefing graced by Abap president Ricky Vargas, Abap secretary-general Patrick Gregorio and Puerto Princesa City mayor Edward Hagedorn.

“We were expecting only around 160 to 200 participants, but as of last week, almost 270 boxers have already confirmed. We were surprised with the turnout of this event.”

Vargas said the tournament would be Abap’s first major step towards winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal. He reiterated that whoever wins the Olympic gold stands to receive P12 million while Asian Games gold medalists will be rewarded P3 million each courtesy of Smart/PLDT chairman Manny Pangilinan.

“Right from the start, Abap has been inclusive and not exclusive of potential talents,” Vargas said. “We might be making a big mistake if we excluded potential talents in the national pool. This tournament would serve as the key in tapping those young athletes.”

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