ANCAJAS-SULTAN FILIPINO COMMUNITY ?MEET AND GREET? (PHOTOS)
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 20 May 2018
Just before noon today the ?Meet and Greet? cum presscon held and hosted by the Filipino American Cultural Center near downtown Los Angeles and put together by Jhay Otamias finally happened. The event that took only two short days to organize was well attended considering that there was not much time to inform the local press and boxing fans.
Top Rank Promotions, through Evan Korn of their PR Department, immensely helped in getting the event done. Top Rank sent promotional materials as well as the Top Rank Girls. The four gorgeous women headed by Kristine Stokes surely added fire to the event.
There was plenty of representation from the Filipino press with Manila Bulletin, ESPN5 Philippines, Philippine Inquirer, Philippine Star and GMA Balitang America sending their top-notched people to cover the event. There was also a sprinkling of Latino media present as well as internet bloggers.
Filipino boxers currently in town that include IBF Minimum weight star Mark ?DaBabyBoy? Barriga, GBP Hot Star Prospect Romero Duno, Michael Ferrenas, and trainers, Edito and Edmund Villamor, Joven Jimenez, Rodel Mayol and Stanley Godinez were present as well. JC Mannaquil and Dexter Tan of the SanMan Promotions in General Santos City came were also spotted in the crowd.
The program emceed by this writer was short and simple. But it was meaningful particularly to the Filipino community because the event was the first time ever that the leadership of the Filipino American Community Center in Los Angeles was involved in this type of an event. They never hosted a presscon for fight promotions before let alone introduce Filipino boxers to the community. The fact that the IBF World Title Fight between Ancajas and Sultan on Saturday May 26th at Fresno, CA will be the first ever involving two Filipinos after 93 years added more meaning to the event.
Mr. Fernandico Gonong, the FACLA President assisted by Ms. Thelma Sugay presented recognition plaques to IBF Super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas and his challenger Jonas Sultan as well as to the Philippine longest reigning boxing champion Donnie Nietes and Filipino top LA boxing trainer Marvin Somodio of the Wildcard Gym and match-maker Sean Gibbons of Las Vegas.
After the program, the press was given an opportunity to interview the fighters followed by photo ops with the fans.
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