AMATEUR BOXERS IN TWO BIG TOURNAMENTS THIS APRIL
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 31 Mar 2010
Manny Pangilinan.
Pushing forward with its well-thought-out development program, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines is sending fighters to compete in two big tournaments this April.
A compact three-man RP-Smart team will trade punches with some of the world?s best amateur boxers in the prestigious 32nd King?s Cup in Bangkok, Thailand from April 1-8 while a seven-man team leaves for Guiyang, China on Saturday to compete in the first AIBA China Open International Boxing Championships set April 3-12.
Both squads are competing with the wholehearted support and blessings of ABAP chairman Manny Pangilinan and president Ricky Vargas.
The King?s Cup squad which is funded by longtime sponsor Pacific Heights will be made up of light flyweight Crisanto Godaren, flyweight Victorio Saludar and featherweight Jhergigs Chavez with three-time Olympian Romeo Brin as coach.
The head of the delegation, ABAP vice president Manny Lopez who is also a first vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee and whose family led by his father, former Manila Mayor Mel Lopez has been involved in amateur boxing for decades noted that Pacific Heights is ?a longtime supporter of amateur boxing, especially grassroots development and women?s boxing and is proud to support the ABAP leadership under MVP in giving our young boxers a chance to gain much-needed international exposure.?
Lopez said the boxers will have a taste of high-level competition noting that the Philippines traditionally competes in the King?s Cup which is ?a very tough competition and I am sure our boxers will learn a lot from this stint.?
In the China tournament the Philippine contingent will join fighters from more than 30 countries including powerhouse squads from Cuba and Russia in one of the tournaments leading up to the Guangzhou Asian Games in November.
The RP team is made up of light flyweight Gerson Nietes, flyweight Rey Saludar, bantamweight Aston Francis Palicte, featherweight Charly Suarez , lightweight Jameboy Vicera, light welterweight Mark John Rey Melligen and welterweight Wilfredo Lopez.
The delegation will be headed by ABAP executive director Ed Picson while the coaches will be Nolito Velasco and Ronald Chavez.
Picson said ?We?re very hopeful that with this young team, we can gauge our strength for the coming Asian Games,? adding that ?We also have a string of other tournaments and training camps planned for the year to ensure that our boxers are prepared for Guangzhou.?
Picson bared that from Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, the national boxers will join 19 of their teammates, including six female boxers, in Beijing to attend a 14-day training camp at the Shichahai Sports School. He disclosed that the camp was made possible with the help of the Beijing Boxing Federation.
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