PANGILINAN MAY SET-UP BOXERS TRAINING CENTER IN CEBU
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 18 Sep 2008
Esteemed businessman-sportsman Manny Pangilinan whose passion and support for different sports is well known, is keen on helping our country?s amateur boxers in their quest for an elusive Olympic gold medal and is looking ahead to the London Olympic Games of 2012 or the 2016 Games.
Pangilinan who visited the world-famous ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer last Thursday said it was ?an excellent facility? and one which we should be proud of.
Pangilinan was met by Aldeguer and his son Michael and given a tour of the facilities, the fighters dorm and the well laid out complex which impressed the avid sportsman with its cleanliness and neatness which he didn?t quite expect of a boxers facility.
Aldeguer indicated his willingness as always to help but flatly refused any official involvement in amateur boxing even as he lamented the increasing incursion of politics into sports.
Pangilinan spent over one hour looking around and talking to some of the boxers including Jason Melligen and received a first hand report of his aborted stint in the amateur ranks. Pangilinan watched Melligen and OPBF champion Randy Suico go after each other in sparring which impressed Pangilinan.
Pangilinan was so impressed with the ALA Gym that there is a real possibility he might set up a similar training center for amateur boxers in Cebu City.
Trainer Edito ?Ala? Villamor told www.insidesports, Manila Standard and Viva Sports that he expected Pangilinan to spend two or three minutes at the Gym but was pleasantly surprised and overjoyed that he spent over an hour.
Villamor said Pangilinan was ?very happy when he saw the program of Mr. Ala (Tony Aldeguer) and felt it was a useful visit for him.?
Villamor, a former two-time world title challenger said Pangilinan?s entry into amateur boxing was ?great news because he will be a big help.? At the same time Villamor said the Philippines may not be able to develop an Olympic gold medalist in the 2012 London Games because ?we haven?t identified any new talents.? One of the Philippines outstanding trainers, Villamor said perhaps the target should be 2016.
He suggested that the program should start at the grassroots level with boys between 10 and 16 years of age. Villamor predicted ?eight years from now we will get a gold because we need to follow a program. We need to guide the young boys, especially since many of them have problems. This is important if we hope to win a gold medal in the Olympics.?
Villamor said ?there are some fine talents in the Visayas and Mindanao compared to Manila and Luzon because they are hungrier and the support of Mr. MVP will be a big help? even as he stressed that the government must also do its share.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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