RP BOXING TEAMS GAIN MODEST SUCCESS IN CHINA OPEN AND THAILAND KING?S CUP
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 06 Apr 2010
Two Philippine boxing teams sent by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines for the inaugural China Open and the established King?s Cup in Thailand have had modest success so far.
Light flyweight Gerson Nietes, a cousin of WBO world minimum weight champion Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes assured himself of a bronze medal and a semifinal outing even without throwing a punch as he drew a bye in the first-China Open in Guiyang, Guizhou province.
Nietes will face a tough challenge when he goes up against Idyay Sulay-Minov of Kazakhstan this Friday in this two-star AIBA-sanctioned event that is part of ABAP?s preparations for the Asian Games in China later this year.
Lightweight Jameboy Vicera was also drawn against a tough opponent in Farhany Radoune of France while Rey Melligen takes on hometown boy Huricha Bilige of China in a light welterweight bout set for Monday.
Other members of the seven-man RP contingent in China are flyweight Rey Saludar, featherweight Charlie Suarez, bantamweight Francis Palicte and welterweight Wilfredo Lopez who will all see action within the week.
In the tough 32nd King?s Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, flyweight Victorio Saludar dominated Sanwad Laxman of Nepal, 7-2, to seal at least a bronze medal and a semi final slot while light flyweight Crisanto Godaren is set to open his King?s Cup bid against rugged Russian Alexander Samoytov.
Team Philippines however suffered its first setback in Thailand when featherweight Jhergigs Chavez, despite scoring a comfortable 3-0 win over Vietnam?s Nguyen Van Hung on opening night, bowed to Jo-Min Jae of Korea via a heartbreaking 3-4 setback.
The China Open is getting some attention in the media with an article by Zhenyu Li in the People?s Daily online noting that China is ready to rumble, a take-off on the trademark of Ring Announcer Michael Buffer. Li said the China Open ?is the biggest China-rooted boxing tournament to be ever held. It is a 3-star event approved by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) which is the same ranking as the World Boxing Championships. It will not only attract top-notch Chinese boxers such as Olympic gold medalist Shiming Zou and Xiaoping Zhang but also champions from around the globe including those from the traditional boxing powerhouses like Cuba and Russia.
As a top-ranked AIBA event, the China Open will grant participants opportunities to earn points under the World Ranking system.
Aimed at building it as a recognized global brand while consolidating Chinese elite boxers' international status, the tournament will be held annually in compliance with the AIBA rules and guidelines.
Zhenyu Li noted that with China's growing power in economics and pugilism, the landscape of the fight game is experiencing noticeable changes.
In January, a historical move was made by the Tianjin Municipal Government to promote professional boxing within the city. The municipal government signed an official agreement with the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to set up Asia's first and the world's third largest boxing center in the city and host WBO championship fights of all levels for 10 years. This act definitely serves as a booster for the development of the sport.
Another big change on China's boxing scene will be the inauguration of the China Boxing League tournament, which is to kick off for the first time on April 27. Resembling to the China Football Association Super League (CSL) and China Basketball Association (CBA), the boxing league tournament should also be operated mostly under the market regulations. Such a mechanism would bring vigor and vitality into the untapped boxing market in China.
China's boxing has come a long way, and it is time to rumble.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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