WBO 26th Annual Congress Opens Today
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 27 Aug 2013
Budapest ? The 26th Annual Congress of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) formally opens this morning (Tuesday) at the Budapest Intercontinental Hotel, overlooking the River Danube, in this historic city.
WBO President Francisco ' Paco' Valcarel and other top officials as well as most of the participants have already arrived here Monday mostly coming in from a draining 15-hour or so air travel from the different points of the globe. Australia's Danny Leigh had to pass by Sydney, Bangkok and Vienna before hitting Budapest for a grueling more than 20-hour trip. Globe-trotting boxing photographer Sumio Yamada, coming from New York, had a stopover in Munich, Germany before arriving Budapest. Our group, ALA Promotions Michael Aldeguer and Dennis Canete and myself took a 9-hour Qatar Airways flight from Manila to Doha where we had a two-hour stopover before proceeding here in another 5-hour flight.
There was a golf tournament set for the golfing participants at the Pannonia Golf and Country Club Monday morning. Monday night, the participants had a welcome cocktail dinner at the Karpatia Restaurant located right beside a Franciscan church along Ferenciek tere, one of the town's oldest restaurant that was originally built in 1877.
As the WBO, who has become one of the most successful boxing organizations on the planet, reflects the past year's achievements and challenges and sets the goals for the next 12 months, participants will also have the chance to connect to one of Europe's most historic city. Budapest was formally declared in the 1920s as a 'City of Spa' because of its abundant thermal waters and the Romans colonized Buda in the 9th century reportedly for the purpose of having its soldiers a recreational facility. The River Danube, the longest river in Central Europe passing through 10 countries and its major capitals, is especially captivating at night and one of the highlights of the event will be a dinner cruise to the river Wednesday night.
Other delegations coming from the Philippines are Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Chairman Ramon Guanzon and Commisioners Aquil Tamano and Fritz Gaston as well as Referee/Judge Atty. Danrex Tapdasan. The presence of the top GAB people to the event is for the purpose of bidding to host the next WBO Convention in the Philippines.
L-R: ALA's Dennis Canete, Michale Aldeguer, Ivan Rivera (Puerto Rico's PR Best Boxing), Star Boxing's Tutico Zabala, Pedro Rivera and Peter Rivera (PR Best Boxing) at the Karpatia Restaurant Monday night.
Newly crowned WBO bantamweight champion Tomoki Kamdeda (C) of Japan who won the title by defeating Paulus Ambunda of Namibia in Cebu last month poses with his team and WBO's Leon Panoncillo (extreme right).
Referee Danrex Tapdasan (L), two Hungarian boxing people, Australia's Danny Leigh and Leon Panoncillo.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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